China is not in favor of putting excessive pressure or imposing new sanctions on Iran over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program, said Wang Min, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN.In his statement at a Security Council meeting last night on the latest work of 1737 Committee, which is tasked with monitoring a set of sanctions against Iran established by Resolution 1737 and subsequent Council resolutions, the Chinese envoy said,” The Iran nuclear issue bears on the authority of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and peace and stability in the Middle East.”“The relevant resolutions on nuclear issues of the Security Council should be comprehensively implemented, but sanctions are not the ultimate purpose of the resolutions,” he said. “China is always firmly against use or threat of use of force. We are not in favor of putting excessive pressure or new sanctions against Iran. ”According to Wang, China consistently stands for a peaceful settlement of the Iran nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations. “All parties concerned should strengthen contacts with stronger confidence, show their flexibility and sincerity to promote the dialogue process, in order to create the conditions for reaching a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue,” Wang said. “China is firmly opposed to the unilateral sanctions took by some countries, which expanded the range of sanctions and damaged the interests and legitimate rights of other countries.”Iran and the P5+1 powers–Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany, held a two-day talks on Feb. 26 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, aiming to address the decade-long deadlock over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. All the parties agreed to meet in expert-level in Istanbul, Turkey on March 17 to 18, followed by another high- ranking meeting in Almaty again on April 5.“The talks in Almaty, which have achieved positive results, marked the first step to begin the substantive negotiations process and are conductive to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations,” Wang said. “We also encourage Iran to strengthen cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”“For a long time China has made tremendous efforts to keep the issue on the right track. China is willing to continue to work with all parties to reach a constructive and peaceful solution to the Iran nuclear issue through diplomatic means.” he added.