Negroponte told reporters in Kabul that he had discussed with Beijing "their weapons sales to the country of Iran and our concern about those weapons sales."

"And we have tried to discourage the Chinese from signing any new weapons contracts with Iran," the official said.

Media reports early this month said Britain had privately complained to Beijing that Chinese-made weapons were being used by the Taliban in Afghanistan, where there are nearly 50,000 international soldiers.

Negroponte said Washington was also worried about the Taliban acquiring weapons, made in Iran, capable of piercing armoured vehicles.

"We are concerned by reports which we consider to be reliable of explosively formed projectiles and other types of military equipment coming from Iran and into the hands of the Taliban," he said.

US and British officials have alleged for months that weapons from Iran are going to the Taliban rebels fighting the Afghan government and its international allies.

But Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whose government relies on the United States for funds and military strength, has insisted there is no evidence to prove this.

He said during a visit to the United States last month that Iran was "a helper" against extremists.

Afghanistan's independent Pajhwak Afghan News agency cited an unidentified government official saying this month that four depots of arms manufactured by Iran, China and Russia had been discovered in the western province of Herat.

The report said it was not clear if the weapons were new or had been stored in Afghanistan's nearly three decades of conflict.

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