Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China will join hands with other parties in stepping up exchanges and consultations so as to make constructive efforts for peacefully and properly settling the Iran nuclear issue, Qin Gang, spokesman with China's Foreign Ministry, said here Thursday.

    Qin made the remarks when asked when China will make its decision on whether to support new sanctions on Iran given the United States' latest National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) released on Monday.

    Qin said China is studying the estimate report and consulting with related parties, adding that China hoped all parties could make joint efforts towards a proper and better settlement of the Iran nuclear issue.

    China has always supported the international nuclear nonproliferation regime and opposed proliferation of nuclear weapons in an effort to maintain a peaceful and stable Middle East, Qin said.

    "That's why we uphold a peaceful solution to the issue through consultations," he said, adding "any move taken by the Security Council should be conducive to realizing these goals."

    The latest National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), the formal consensus of all 16 U.S. spy agencies, said on Monday that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, a stark reversal of previous intelligence assessments that Iran was actively moving towards the development of a bomb.

    Washington accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran, which has always denied the U.S. charges, insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

    The U.N. Security Council has issued two resolutions against Iran's nuclear program since last December, but both of them failed to persuade Iran to give up uranium enrichment work. The United States is pressing for a third resolution at the UN Security Council while Russia and China are opposed to such a sanction and advocate a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear issue.