China firmly opposed to Iran sanctions

A senior Chinese official has expressed his country’s strong opposition to anti-Iran sanctions, reiterating Beijing’s support for diplomacy on Tehran’s nuclear issue.

“China supports the legitimate right of Iran, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to use nuclear energy for peaceful applications,” Li Changchun, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday.

He further added that China has always called for resolving the dispute over Iran’s nuclear case through negotiations, Fars news agency reported.

“China is strongly against unilateral sanctions and pressure [exerted] by Western countries and the United States on Iran over its nuclear case,” he went on to say.

The Chinese official criticized America’s dual policies on international issues, noting that the US and certain other countries use military power to impose their hegemonic approaches.

Li emphasized the importance of adopting appropriate strategies to counter such measures.

China, a long-time energy partner of Iran, voted in June in favor of the US-engineered UN sanctions resolution against Tehran over its nuclear program.

However, Beijing strongly condemned further measures by the US and the European Union to impose additional unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic, arguing that such moves would hamper negotiations to resolve the West’s nuclear standoff with Iran.

Li also reiterated Iran’s importance and influence in the region and added that the progress and strength of the Islamic Republic and other developing countries would help change the current unjust world order.

He praised Iran’s leading role in developing relations with China and emphasized on Beijing’s commitment to the policy of cooperating with Tehran.

The Chinese official also said the two countries should deepen trade and economic relations and implement agreements and contracts already signed between the two countries.

According to Li, positive and stable development of mutual ties has benefited both nations.