CHINA OPPOSES EU’S IRAN SANCTIONS

China said that it opposes the sanctions the European Union is imposing on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, saying it supports Iran’s renewed efforts to hold talks on a possible swap of nuclear fuel. The European Union and Canada adopted new sanctions against Iran that target its foreign trade, banking and energy sectors. The countries worry Iran’s nuclear programme could be used for weapons. Iran denies it, saying its programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes such as energy generation. “China does not agree with the EU’s unilateral sanctions against Iran,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, said. China made a similar objection when the United States recently imposed its own sanctions. Senior US officials said that they would travel soon to China, Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates to demand compliance with a new, fourth round of UN Security Council measures against Iran.