Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Chinese official holds nuclear talks with Iran - report
04.16.2006, 06:44 AM



TEHRAN (AFX) - A senior Chinese diplomat has held talks with Iran's top national security official, Iranian television reported, amid mounting international tensions over the Islamic republic's nuclear drive.

The report said China's assistant foreign minister, Cui Tiankai, met Iran's Supreme National Security Council chief Ali Larijani, as well as nuclear negotiator Javad Vaidi.

No further details on the talks were given.

The visit comes in the wake of Iran's announcement that it had successfully enriched uranium to the level needed to make reactor fuel.

'We are concerned about the announcement and are also worried about the possible development of the situation,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in Beijing on Thursday.

China has also announced that the political directors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany will meet Tuesday in Moscow to discuss the Iranian issue.

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