BEIJING, Sept 5, SPA -- China said on Tuesday Iran'snuclear standoff with major powers must be resolved throughdialogue, reiterating its stance in its first official commentssince Iran ignored a U.N. deadline to stop uranium enrichment, reported REUTERS. The United States says the enrichment programme is aimed atproducing nuclear weapons. Tehran, the world's fourth largestoil exporter, says it is to fulfil civilian energy needs. "We have consistently stood for the resolution of theIranian nuclear issue through negotiation and dialogue," ForeignMinistry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news conference. Although Iran ignored the U.N.'s Aug. 31 deadline, IranianPresident Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told visiting U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sunday that Iran wanted to finda negotiated solution to its nuclear standoff with the West. But Germany has signalled it is running out of patience,saying that if talks between Iran and the EU foreign policychief fail to persuade Tehran to change its behaviour, action atthe Security Council would have to be considered. China, whose trade with Iran reached nearly $8 billion inthe first seven months of the year, has long urged negotiationas a way to solve the crisis and has traditionally opposed theuse of sanctions in international diplomacy. Iran provides more than 11 percent of China's oil imports. European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana is to meetIranian negotiator Ali Larijani this week to clarify Iran's hintthat the extent of its programme could be negotiated. The United States said on Friday it was consulting Europeanallies about possible sanctions against the Islamic Republic. But the EU, wary of isolating a major oil supplier andexport market, has signalled it wants more dialogue with Iranand has agreed to try to clarify its stance within two weeks.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/387202