Iran's top nuclear negotiator has begun talks in Beijing, hoping to fend off efforts by Western governments to see Tehran hauled before the UN Security Council.

During a day of talks, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's High Council of National Security, hoped to persuade Chinese leaders to use their country's Security Council veto to block possible sanctions over Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

For its part, China on Thursday expressed support for the plan to have Iran's uranium enriched in Russia as a way to end the global impasse over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.

"We think the suggestion would be a good attempt at breaking the stalemate," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a regular press briefing in Beijing when asked about the proposal.

Kong also reiterated China's stance that it preferred diplomatic efforts to any other method of ending the global stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme.

"We always advocate resolving issues through negotiations. Under this context we support all diplomatic efforts to properly resolve the issues."   

Veto-wielding power

China's is one of five permanent council members with veto-wielding power and has said it prefers diplomacy in dealing with Iran's disputed nuclear activities.

But the United States and Europe have been lobbying with Beijing to take a tougher stand, and have sought its support for a European-led drive to have Iran brought before the Security Council, which can impose a range of sanctions or other measures.

China, Russia and India are allies and trading partners of Iran and have been reluctant to see Tehran punished or ostracised through the Security Council.

On Tuesday, Larijani met Russian Security Council chief Igor Ivanov in Moscow, and was positive about a Russian proposal to allow Tehran to enrich its uranium in Russia.

Commenting on Thursday's talks, the Iranian embassy in Beijing said the meetings would focus on "mutual cooperation and consultation" and "regional and international issues".

Oil supplier

China's hesitation over the Security Council referral has prompted suggestions that Beijing wants to avoid angering Iran, a major oil source for its energy-hungry economy.

China has traditionally been wary of the use of sanctions.

However, analysts say that, while voicing objections in private, China would more likely abstain from any Security Council vote than use its veto.

Robert Zoellick, US Deputy Secretary of State, who is visiting China this week, told Chinese leaders in meetings on Wednesday that allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons could threaten Beijing's crucial supplies of Middle Eastern oil.

Zoellick said he warned Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, and other officials in meetings that if they were concerned about energy security, it would be "extremely dangerous" to allow nuclear weapons development in the Middle East, centre of the world oil industry.

Bomb fears

The West fears Iran wants to develop a nuclear bomb, but Tehran says its intentions are peaceful and that it wants only to develop civilian nuclear energy.

Uranium enrichment is a possible precursor to making atomic weapons.

Earlier this month Iran removed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals from nuclear equipment, ending a 15-month moratorium, and announced it would restart research on nuclear fuel.

The move led Germany, Britain and France to call for an emergency session of the IAEA's 35-nation board on 2 February.

Before that, foreign ministers of the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council, plus Germany, are due to meet in London on Monday to try to hammer out their differences over how to deal with Iran.

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