BEIJING (Reuters) - Iran has the right to harness nuclear energy for civilian use but should abide by its international commitments on the issue, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in comments published on Sunday.

Yang's remarks come a day after state media carried comments by Premier Wen Jiabao urging Iran to show more flexibility on its nuclear program.

"Iran has the right to use nuclear energy peacefully," the official Xinhua news agency cited Yang as saying on Saturday at a summit of Non-Aligned Movement nations in Havana, which China attended as an observer.

Echoing Wen's comments, Yang said that the Iranian nuclear issue was at a critical stage, but that there was still hope for a negotiated settlement to the standoff.

"All parties concerned should take constructive steps and show flexibility to resume dialogue and negotiation at an early date," Xinhua quoted Yang as saying.

U.S. and EU diplomats told Reuters on Saturday that major powers were considering a joint meeting with Iran next week that would exclude the United States, as a way of bridging the divide over its nuclear program.