China believes that a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear question via diplomacy and negotiations is the best option, China's top envoy to the United Nations in Vienna said on Wednesday.

The peaceful solution "will help maintain the authority and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime, contribute to regional stability and serve the common interests of the international community," Ambassador Tang Guoqiang told a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"What is imperative now is to restart negotiations without delay," said Tang, adding that the "time out" proposal, which was offered by IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei recently for the suspension of both Iran's uranium enrichment activities and sanctions of the UN Security Council against Iran, should merit serious consideration by all sides.

Iran, which maintains the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, ignored a Feb. 21 UN Security Council deadline for it to suspend proliferation sensitive activities like uranium enrichment and reprocessing.

At the board meeting this week, the IAEA board of governors was expected to approve the IAEA's implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1737 which requires the agency to limit technical cooperation with Iran in sensitive fields.

Iran has complained of unfair treatment, noting the IAEA has found no hard evidence of diversions of nuclear material into nuclear bomb-making.

Tang said China hopes that all parties concerned will show flexibility and keep up their dialogues and communications and China will continue to play a constructive role in resolving the Iran nuclear issue in a peaceful manner through diplomatic negotiations.

Source: Xinhua