China still regards dialogue and talks as the best method in settling the Iranian nuclear issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said here Tuesday.

Representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- and Germany, discussed possible steps over the issue last Thursday in New York.

"Such discussions do not mean that the door for dialogue and talks has been closed," said the spokeswoman Jiang Yu at a regular briefing.

The United States and other western countries have been pushing for a fourth round of UN sanctions to restrict Iran's nuclear ambitions, which they say are aimed at developing nuclear weapons.

Iran has denied the accusation and stressed its nuclear program was solely for peaceful purposes and intended to generate electricity for its population.

Since 2006, the Security Council has slapped three rounds of sanctions against Iran.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2010)