(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-14 06:45

Sanctions will not help end the deepening international confrontation over Iran's nuclear plans, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

But it urged Teheran to be more flexible in its stance while dealing with the international community.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is in Teheran to discuss the issue with Iranian leaders. He is scheduled to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

"We urge Iran to respond positively to international calls and adopt a flexible stance. We hope that through dialogue and consultation we can promote progress toward a resolution," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news conference Tuesday.

"We believe sanctions, especially unilateral sanctions, are of no help. "

Washington and its allies accuse Iran of trying to develop the capability to make a nuclear weapon but Teheran says its nuclear program is purely to generate electricity.

Britain, France, the US, Russia and China - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - and Germany are expected to meet on November 19 to assess the reports of European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei on Iran.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Monday that he would push to cut energy and financial investment in Iran unless Teheran resolves nuclear concerns.

Washington has imposed a range of unilateral sanctions on Teheran.

Agencies - China Daily