By JPOST.COM STAFF
China urged Iran on Friday to give a "serious response" to UN sanctions for its nuclear program as Tehran's top nuclear envoy warned that the country's commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear technology will change if threatened.
Iran's nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, who was in Beijing for a two-day visit, met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and delivered a letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The two discussed the UN sanctions, which bar all countries from selling materials and technology to Iran that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs. The resolution, passed last month, also froze the assets of 10 Iranian companies and 12 individuals related to those programs.
The sanctions reflect "the shared concerns of the international community over the Iranian nuclear issue, and we hope Iran could make a serious response to the resolution," Hu told Larijani, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.
He added that "China continues to believe the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved through diplomatic negotiation."
Larijani indicated Friday that China's decision to support the resolution has not hurt ties between the two sides, calling them "long-term and long lasting."
Iran has denied that it seeks to build atomic weapons, saying its nuclear program is limited to the generation of electricity.