China says it welcomes the European Union's plan to offer incentives to Iran to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute, and Russia says a threat of military force is not an option.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, made the remarks after talks in Beijing Tuesday.
On Monday, the EU said it is ready to offer Iran incentives, including sophisticated civilian nuclear technology, for Tehran to give up its program for uranium enrichment.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the package of incentives would be difficult for Iran to refuse - if what it really wants is energy.
Western powers suspect Iran is using its nuclear research as a cover for developing an atomic bomb - a charge Tehran denies.
Iran has said it will reject any European offer that includes a demand to halt what Tehran calls its "peaceful nuclear activities."
The United States and its European allies have been facing objections from Russia and China in their push for a U.N. Security Council resolution that would oblige Iran to stop enriching uranium, which can be used in nuclear weapons.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.