BEIJING: China yesterday urged intensified diplomacy to defuse deepening tensions over the Iran nuclear dispute, saying sanctions are "not the goal", despite Western outrage at Tehran's new plans to expand uranium enrichment.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang's comments followed Iran's announcement on Sunday of plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants in a big expansion of its nuclear program.

Iran's move came two days after the UN nuclear watchdog rebuked it for carrying out such work in secret.