China firmly opposes sanctions against Tehran, Hu tells Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN, June 9 (MNA) – Chinese President Hu Jintao said the Islamic Republic has right to develop and acquire nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes and is opposed to the sanctions imposed on Tehran for its nuclear program. Hu made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday, one day after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Beijing. He said that the disputes over Iran’s nuclear program can only be resolved through dialogue and China is firmly opposed to the use of threats and sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Elsewhere in his remarks, Hu expressed satisfaction with the current level of Tehran-Beijing ties and said that the enhancement of cooperation in all areas can help promote interests shared by the two countries. For his part, Ahmadinejad said that Iran and China are on the “same front” and the progress of either country benefits the other. He described the ties between the two countries as close and historical and said, “The relations, which are founded on the historical ties, have been increasingly expanded in recent years.” The Islamic Republic of Iran sees no obstacle in the way of expanding ties with Beijing, Ahmadinejad stated. Tehran and Beijing have agreed to increase the volume of bilateral trade to $200 billion within ten years, he said, adding that Iran is keen to promote cooperation in the energy sector as well.