China should accept sanctions against Iran: Clinton

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressurised China to recognise the threat from Iran's nuclear programme and join international calls for sanctions.Clinton spoke about what she sees as the destabilizing impact a nuclear-armed Iran would have in the Persian Gulf region, threatening the flow of oil and other raw materials to China. The United States and its Western allies fear Iran is secretly developing fissile material for nuclear weapons under the cover of its uranium enrichment programme, a charge denied by Tehran. China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always favoured diplomacy with Iran over sanctions. Clinton also said that China was hesitant to jeopardise economic ties with Iran, but urged it to think about the longer-term implications for peace in the region.