China on Thursday defended its backing of the resolution on Iran, but reiterated that it would support the continuation of diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear issue.
“We stay committed to the ‘dual-track' strategy,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang. “China always believes that the proper approach to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue is to find a settlement addressing the concerns of all parties through diplomatic means such as dialogues and negotiations. The adoption of the resolution by the Security Council does not mean the door to diplomatic efforts is closed.”
On Thursday, China came under heavy criticism from Iranian officials for backing the sanctions. Iran's atomic energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi accused Beijing of “double-standards” for its support of North Korea, even as it backed international sanctions against Iran.
He also warned that China risked “losing its respectable position in the Islamic world”.
Mr. Qin rejected his warning on Thursday, but sought to cool tensions ahead of the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was expected to arrive in Shanghai on Thursday evening to attend National Day celebrations at the Iranian pavilion at the World Expo.
“We believe on the basis of unity, mutual trust and cooperation, relations between China and Muslim countries will withstand all tests and move forward,” said Mr. Qin.
