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China says still room for dialogue in Iran nuke standoff+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)BEIJING, April 25_(Kyodo) _ China said Tuesday there is still room to solve the Iran nuclear standoff through dialogue, as Iran's top nuclear negotiator threatened to suspend its relations with a U.N. nuclear watchdog if it is subjected to sanctions. "We believe that there is still room to solve the issue through dialogue," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular press briefing. "We hope all parties involved will maintain restraint and show flexibility, and continue creating the conditions for appropriately solving the Iran nuclear issue through dialogue," Qin said. Ali Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said that while Iran remains willing to hold dialogue, it would suspend ties with the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency in Tehran if sanctions are imposed by the U.N. Security Council over its uranium enrichment program. The comment came as the deadline looms for Iran to comply with a U.N. Security Council presidential statement, issued March 29, which called on Tehran to halt its controversial nuclear activities within 30 days. |