China has changed its tune and agreed to participate in discussions about possible new sanctions against Iran. From Reuters:
The United States’ ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Wednesday that her government, and France, Russia and Germany had reached agreement with China to begin putting together a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution that would impose new sanctions on Iran.
The agreement marked a big shift by Beijing after months of fending off Western nations’ demands to raise pressure on Tehran, which they say is seeking the means to assemble nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear activities are peaceful.
…Underscoring Beijing’s importance in the accelerating negotiations, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili arrived there on Thursday for talks.
The Iranian embassy in Beijing did not give details of Jalili’s itinerary in Beijing, where he was invited by Dai Bingguo, a senior Chinese diplomat who serves as a State Councilor advising leaders on foreign policy.
See also “Q+A – Where does China stand on Iran sanctions?” from Reuters, and articles from The Guardian and Al Jazeera.
