China opposes force against Iran

China says it opposes nuclear proliferation and does not support the development of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, addressing concerns about an upcoming International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran's nuclear development, said China supports resolving Iran's nuclear issue by dialogue and cooperation, Xinhua reported Friday. Hong called on Iran to be flexible and sincere in its cooperation with IAEA and said China firmly opposes using force and threats of force, the state-run news service said. The spokesman called for a peaceful settlement, saying it is important to avoid new turmoil in the Middle East.