The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Beijing

China has urged Iran to resume negotiations with the international community in a fresh attempt to end their long-running standoff over its nuclear programme, state press reported Friday. Beijing's call came with Washington's second top diplomat and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator both in China to lobby for support ahead of a key meeting next week on possible sanctions against the Islamic regime.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Saeed Jalili, who is regarded as more hardline than his predecessor whom he replaced in October, and who is a close ally of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"The Iranian nuclear issue is now at a crucial moment," Yang told Jalili in a meeting late Thursday, according to remarks posted by the foreign ministry.

"China hopes all concerned parties, including Iran, make joint efforts to resume negotiations as soon as possible in a bid to promote the comprehensive and proper settlement of this issue." Jalili, who arrived here Thursday, is thought to be seeking Beijing's help to ward off another UN Security Council resolution against Tehran.

Yang met with Jalili one day after separate talks with visiting US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who is seeking Chinese support for a new resolution on Iran that would contain binding sanctions.