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| China 'agrees to Iran UN talks' | China 'agrees to Iran UN talks' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| China is ready to hold "serious" talks with Western powers about new sanctions against Iran, senior US officials say. | China is ready to hold "serious" talks with Western powers about new sanctions against Iran, senior US officials say. |
| UN ambassador Susan Rice said the US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China had agreed to begin drafting a UN resolution on Iran's nuclear programme. | UN ambassador Susan Rice said the US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China had agreed to begin drafting a UN resolution on Iran's nuclear programme. |
| This marks a major shift for China, which has major economic ties with Iran. Beijing has so far only said it is working for a "peaceful resolution". | |
| Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, is in China for talks. | |
| Western countries have long suspected Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, but Tehran says the programme is for peaceful purposes. | Western countries have long suspected Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, but Tehran says the programme is for peaceful purposes. |
| China has in the past expressed reluctance to see new sanctions imposed, and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, along with France, the US, the UK, and Russia, it has the power to veto such a move. | China has in the past expressed reluctance to see new sanctions imposed, and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, along with France, the US, the UK, and Russia, it has the power to veto such a move. |
| 'Tough sanctions regime' | |
| Beijing made the commitment to talks in a phone call on Wednesday, US officials told the Associated Press news agency. | |
| Ms Rice told CNN: "China has agreed to sit down and begin serious negotiations here in New York with the others in the [group of six] ... as a first step towards getting the entire Security Council on board with a tough sanctions regime against Iran. | Ms Rice told CNN: "China has agreed to sit down and begin serious negotiations here in New York with the others in the [group of six] ... as a first step towards getting the entire Security Council on board with a tough sanctions regime against Iran. |
| China strongly values the nuclear security issue and opposes nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang | China strongly values the nuclear security issue and opposes nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang |
| "This is progress, but the negotiations have yet to begin in earnest." | "This is progress, but the negotiations have yet to begin in earnest." |
| A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said President Hu Jintao would attend a summit on nuclear security in Washington later in the month. | |
| "We have always and will continue to push for a peaceful settlement of this issue," Qin Gang said, adding the standoff should be resolved by "diplomatic means". | |
| "China strongly values the nuclear security issue and opposes nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism," he said. | |
| Meanwhile Mr Jalili arrived in Beijing for "bilateral talks and to discuss the nuclear issue", Iran's Irna news agency reported. | Meanwhile Mr Jalili arrived in Beijing for "bilateral talks and to discuss the nuclear issue", Iran's Irna news agency reported. |
| "The relationship between Iran and China is very important, and it is very important for our two countries to cooperate on all the issues," he told Iranian media. | "The relationship between Iran and China is very important, and it is very important for our two countries to cooperate on all the issues," he told Iranian media. |
| On Wednesday, US media reported an Iranian nuclear scientist had defected. | On Wednesday, US media reported an Iranian nuclear scientist had defected. |
| ABC News said Shahram Amiri had been resettled in the US and was helping the CIA try to block Iran's nuclear programme. | ABC News said Shahram Amiri had been resettled in the US and was helping the CIA try to block Iran's nuclear programme. |
| Iran accused the US of abducting him, but Washington has denied any knowledge of the scientist. | Iran accused the US of abducting him, but Washington has denied any knowledge of the scientist. |