TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Chinese Ambassador to Tehran Leo Jen Tung said that China as the permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has always supported Iran's legitimate rights to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Iran's nuclear issue should be merely resolved through negotiations; he said and underlined the need to avoid escalation of tension between Iran and the U.S.
Speaking to Tehran based Alwefaq Arabic newspaper at the end of his tenure to Tehran, he said China abides by international rules and regulations and is opposed to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
""We call for continued talks between Iran and Europe to help peacefully resolve Iran's nuclear dossier and strongly condemn any threat or use of force to this end,"" he said.
Referring to expansion of political, social and economic cooperation between Tehran and Beijing, he said ""We attach importance to expansion of ties with a country which is regarded as one of the most ancient civilizations in the world.""
""The volume of trade between Iran and China stood at 3.7 billion dollars five year ago when I started my mission in Iran but the figure has increased by five folds amounting to 20 billion dollars,"" he said.
On joint projects between the two countries, he said the two sides have implemented various projects in oil and gas fields, dam construction, generation of electricity and producing copper.
Chinese companies are now playing active role in various projects in Iran such as fiber optics and other industrial projects.
Running cellophane networks, road construction, transfer of gas, construction of rail roads, expansion of auto industry, increase in number of investment opportunities, expansion of cultural ties and tourism were top on the agenda during the past five years, he said.