Beijing (CNN) -- China's Foreign Ministry weighed in on the widespread anxiety over Iran's nuclear program on Friday, urging Iran to be flexible with the U.N. nuclear agency but staunchly deploring force amid talk of strikes against the country. Hong Lei, the ministry spokesman, made the comments, state-run news agency Xinhua said on Friday. They come ahead of a report on Iran's nuclear program expected to be released next week by the International Atomic Energy Agency. "As a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran should fulfill the relevant international obligations," Hong told reporters. The report is expected to focus specifically on research and development that Tehran may have carried out that would help it build a nuclear warhead. Iran said it is developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes but Western powers have long asserted that Iran aspires to build nuclear weapons.
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Talk of force against Iran surfaces in the media
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China backs "dialogue and cooperation"
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China is a permanent U.N. Security Council member
@placeholder warns against the use of force but will promote "dialogue and cooperation and play a constructive role" in dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue.