High-ranking Iranian officials in China to promote Tehran-Beijing “Strategic Partnership”

Tabnak – Despite being targeted by increasing US sanctions, the Islamic Republic appears determined not to let its relations with non-Western powers to be affected by American policies. China is one of the most important economic partners of Iran, which at the same time, is showing an interest toward expanding political ties with the country.

In this vein, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi emphasized the importance of enhanced “strategic partnership” between the two nations.

“I would like to take this opportunity to have this in depth strategic communication with my old friend to deepen the strategic trust between our two countries and to ensure fresh progress of the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership,” Wang told Zarif during a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Zarif is in Beijing accompanying a delegation that includes Iran’s speaker of parliament, Ali Larijani, and Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh.

The top Chinese diplomat further referred to Zarif’s Sunday speech at the Munich Security Conference, saying, “I saw on television how you defended the rights of Iran loud and clear at the Munich Security Conference. I think an audience of hundreds of millions of Chinese also watched what you said and you are a famous person now”.

For his turn, the Iranian minister also attached great importance to Iran-China ties, saying that the Islamic Republic’s relationship with China is very “valuable” to Tehran. “We consider the comprehensive strategic partnership between Iran and China as one of our most important relations,” he said.

Separately on Tuesday, Larijani said that Iran and China were expected to hold talks in parliamentary, political, cultural, scientific and economic fields. Relations between the Iranian and Chinese nations “have always been based on cordiality,” Larijani said in a meeting with Li Zhanshu, the Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, in Beijing on Tuesday.

He added that his visit to Beijing is aimed at discussing possible ways with senior Chinese officials to strengthen mutual relations in different sectors. China’s top legislator, for his part, said Tehran and Beijing enjoy age-old relations without any conflict.

During that visit, Iran and China signed 17 documents for cooperation in economic, industrial, cultural and judicial fields. The documents included one signed between Iranian and Chinese nuclear chiefs for peaceful energy cooperation. Other agreements revolved around environmental cooperation, financing of a bullet train railway and banking ties.