BEIJING, Jan. 9 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Iran and the P5+1 group (United States, Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) to fully implement the Geneva nuclear agreement.

Wang made the remarks during a recent interview with Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based pan-Arab TV channel, according to a news release from the foreign ministry on Thursday.

China's position on the Iranian nuclear issue has been a clear-cut and firm one, he said, noting that China opposes Iran's efforts to develop and possess nuclear weapons and support the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

"We have participated in the negotiation process on the Iranian nuclear issue," he said.

After 10 years of negotiation, the P5+1 and Iran have recently reached the first agreement in Geneva, making the first step toward a peaceful solution, which indeed has not come easily, he said.

This agreement, although an initial one, sets the necessary restrictions on Iran's nuclear program, thus removing the most urgent concern of the international community, he said.

According to the agreement, Iran has been committed to halting enrichment above 5 percent and neutralizing its stockpile of near-20 percent uranium by means of dilution or converting.

Furthermore, Iran has promised not to install more centrifuges, halt work at its plutonium reactor at Arak, and allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency daily access to its enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow.

In exchange, Iran received relief valued at some 7 billion U.S. dollars including suspending certain sanctions on gold and precious metals, Iran's auto sector and petrochemical exports.

"What matters now is to properly implement the agreement," said Wang, noting that the six-month Geneva nuclear agreement will test the ability of Iran and the other parties to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations in real earnest.

He said, at the same time, it is imperative to lose no time in pushing ahead with the negotiations in order to reach a final agreement that provides a comprehensive and once-and-for-all solution to the issue, which is the only way to eliminate the issue for good.

"That will benefit both Iran and the region as a whole," he said.

China has always maintained normal and friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, said Wang.

"We enjoy friendly relations with Arab countries and at the same time maintain normal state-to-state relations with Iran," he said, adding that China hopes Iran and the Arab Gulf countries will solve their problems through consultation and negotiation.

"We are working toward this goal. We believe that Iran and other countries in the region will iron out their differences and disputes properly and thereby live in greater harmony with each other." he said.