BEIJING: China said Friday it opposed tough new sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran over its contested nuclear programme, again calling for more talks to resolve the standoff.

"China disapproves of the unilateral sanctions put in place by the EU against Iran," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement.

"We hope the relevant parties will adhere to diplomatic means on the issue, and properly resolve the issue through talks and negotiation," she said.

European foreign ministers on Monday formally adopted measures targeting Iran`s oil and gas industries, going beyond a fourth set of UN sanctions imposed last month over its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment.

Canada then followed suit.

The EU measures include a ban on the sale of equipment, technology and services to Iran`s energy sector, hitting activities in refining, liquefied natural gas, exploration and production, diplomats said.

New investments in the energy sector are also banned.

The moves, which follow similar sanctions imposed by the United States, are aimed at reviving moribund talks between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

The United States hailed the move, saying the steps "underscore the international community`s deepening concerns about Iran`s nuclear programme" -- which the West and Israel say is a covert weapons programme.

But Iran`s foreign ministry said the sanctions were not "an effective tool" and would only serve to "complicate" its showdown with the West.

Russia`s foreign ministry on Tuesday called the new EU sanctions "unacceptable".

"We have already said many times that we consider unacceptable the practice of unilateral or collective sanctions measures against Iran that go beyond the Security Council sanctions regime in action in the country," it said.

China has emerged as Iran`s closest trading partner and has major energy interests in the Islamic republic.

But it did back the new UN measures, which expand an arms embargo and bar Iran from sensitive activities such as uranium mining.

The United States said Thursday that it would dispatch two top envoys to China in August to lobby for Beijing`s support for tougher sanctions against Iran.

BDST: 2045 HRS, July 30, 2010