China is ready to work with the United States on possible UN sanctions on Iran, a top US official said Monday after a meeting between US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, dpa reported.
"They are prepared to work with us," Jeff Bader, the top White House official for Asian affairs, told reporters. "The two presidents agreed the two delegations should work together on sanctions."
Iran's nuclear activities were expected to be on the top of the agenda of Obama's meeting with Hu on the sidelines of the nuclear security summit in Washington.
Although the formal purpose of the summit is to confront security challenges associated with vulnerable nuclear stockpiles around the world, Iran's alleged pursuit of atomic weapons is a big topic behind closed doors.
The United States has been pressuring a reluctant China to back tougher UN Security Council sanctions on Iran, arguing that a nuclear-armed Tehran would not serve Beijing's interests in the Middle East.
China, which has important economic ties to Iran, has in the past resisted attempts for strong measures against the Islamic state.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is solely for energy and has rebuffed international efforts to resolve the dispute. After taking office, Obama made diplomatic overtures to Iran an attempt to negotiate a resolution.
But his administration was not satisfied with Iran's response and has moved toward a fourth round of UN sanctions. Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, had previously pushed three resolutions with limited sanctions through the Security Council, but they did not deter Iran's nuclear work.
The previous resolutions called on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment - a demand Tehran has rejected.
China and the United States, along with Britain, France and Russia, make up the five permanent members of the Security Council and can veto any resolution.
Russia, which has also been slow to back new sanctions, appears to be softening its stance.
Medvedev said before departing Moscow for Washington that Iran's nuclear work must be closely monitored, but that any sanctions must be "smart" and avoid harming regular Iranians.
"Sanctions should be effective and they should be smart," he said through a translator in an interview with ABC News. "They should not lead to humanitarian catastrophe where the whole Iranian community would start to hate the whole world."
Brazil, a current member of the council but aspiring for a permanent seat, has strongly spoken out against sanctions as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has sought improved ties with Tehran.
His defence minister, Nelson Jobim, reiterated that position as the summit was getting underway. "Brazil's position is to pursue talks to the last," he said.
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