Merkel urges China to press Iran over nuclear programme

AFP, Beijing, 2 Feb 2012 – German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Beijing Thursday to put pressure on Iran to be more ‘open and transparent’ over its nuclear programme.
Merkel made the comment at the start of a three-day official visit to China during which she will hold talks with Chinese leaders expected to focus on the eurozone crisis, Iran and Syria.
A diplomatic source said the German chancellor would also call on Beijing not to take advantage of Europe’s ban on Iranian oil — imposed on Tehran over its nuclear programme — to boost its own imports of the resource.
The United States, the European Union and others have ramped up sanctions to target Iran’s oil industry and central bank since a UN atomic watchdog report in November raised suspicions Tehran had done work on developing nuclear weapons.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had a trove of evidence that ‘indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device.’
It detailed 12 suspicious areas such as testing explosives in a steel container at a military base and studies on Shahab-3 ballistic missile warheads that the IAEA said were ‘highly relevant to a nuclear weapon programme.’
Iran insists its nuclear drive is for peaceful purposes and that the IAEA report was based on ‘forgeries’ provided by its enemies.