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By Jonathan Wachtel

January 5, 2010

Source: FoxNews/Live Shots

China’s envoy to the United Nations said on Tuesday that the time was not right for new sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program. When asked why the international crisis over Iran is currently not on the agenda of the Security Council, Ambassador Zhang Yesui, as president of the council for January, told reporters that talk of imposing new sanctions against Tehran is premature because diplomatic efforts are still going on. “Trying to bridge differences and finding a settlement through diplomatic efforts…there’s still space for such efforts,” he said.

The U.S. and its allies want tougher U.N. sanctions, while Iran’s major trading partners, China and Russia, oppose the move. The Obama administration and European allies set a deadline of the end of 2009 for Iran to accept a U.N. proposal that Iran exchange most of its enriched uranium, which the West fears could be used for automic weapons, for low-enriched nuclear fuel for energy purposes.

Over the last couple of years, the Security Council has passed three resolutions against Iran for refusing to suspend nuclear enrichment and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, but instead of compliance, the Islamic Republic has increased nuclear activity.

Reacting to the Chinese envoy’s remarks, State Department Assistant Secretary, Philip Crowley said: “The U.S. will continue to dialogue with China regarding current sanctions on Iran and to get clarity concerning the possibility of additional sanctions being levied.” In mid-January, Russia, China, Britain, France, U.S., and Germany are expected to hold another round of talks about Iran, but not at the United Nations. The slow pace of negotitations may give the Chinese the chance to fullfill one of their New Years wishes, to keep discussion of a fresh sanctions resolution against Iran out the Security Council in January.