China opposes sending Iran's nuke case to UN

"There is no reason to send the issue to the Security Council," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said in a press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Kamal Kharazi.

"It would only make the issue more complicated and difficult to work out," Li said, contradicting Washington by saying "the Iranian government is having a very positive attitude in its cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Li refused to speculate on whether China would use its veto in the Security Council in the event of Iran's case being sent there. He did say he had told US Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw "that China supports a solution in framework of the IAEA".

The United States accuses Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons under cover of its civilian atomic energy program and wants the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to take Iran before the UN Security Council when the IAEA meets in Vienna on November 25.

Tehran denies that charge, insisting it only wants to generate electricity.

Russia, another permanent and veto-wielding Security Council member, has also voiced its strong opposition to Iran's case being referred there by the IAEA. The country is helping Iran build its first nuclear power plant in a deal worth some 800 million dollars.

Li's comments add yet another layer of diplomatic difficulty for the European Union, which is trying avert the matter being sent to the Security Council by getting Iran to suspend uranium enrichment.

The sensitive part of the fuel cycle makes fuel for civilian reactors but which can also be used to manufacture the material for the explosive core of atomic weapons.

Tehran has until now resisted Europe's demand for an indefinite suspension, arguing that it would infringe its right to maintain a civilian nuclear power programme.