China on Friday said its business ties with Iran are "normal and transparent" after reports called for sanctions against Chinese companies that support Tehran.

"Like many countries, China has normal and transparent business interactions with Iran, which have benefited the people of both countries," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said at a daily press briefing.

Hong said those interactions have not undermined the interests of other countries or the international community, nor have they violated the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council or changed China's stance on nuclear proliferation.

Hong made the comments in response to a question that said some reports stated the best way to prevent Iran from seeking nuclear arms is to impose sanctions on Chinese companies that support Tehran.

Neither Hong nor the person who raised the question specified the details of those reports, but Hong said he "cannot understand the logic of those reports."

Some countries called for sanctions against Iran after the International Atomic Energy Agency said in its latest report on Tuesday that credible evidence showed Iran has engaged in projects and experiments relevant to the development of nuclear weapons.

Hong reaffirmed that dialogue and cooperation are the only effective approaches for properly resolving the Iran nuclear issue.

"Imposing pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally resolve the issue," Hong said.

China would like to work with relevant parties to play a constructive role in promoting the peaceful settlement of the Iran nuclear issue, Hong said.

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