Tehran Capable of Being Beijing’s Strategic Partner 

Iran can be a strategic partner for China since it is both a supplier of energy and guarantor of its security, a senior diplomat said. 
“The Chinese know that Iran can ensure the security of energy as well [as supplying it],” Mehdi Safari, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy, said in an interview on state television, according to ISNA. 
For China, which transports 6.5 million barrels of oil from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea region, energy security is as important as its supply, he explained.
With 2,200 kilometers of coastline, Iran is an influential country in guaranteeing the security of trade and energy in the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and Indian Ocean, he added. 
Besides, Iran has borders with 15 countries, which makes it a favorable geographical route for trade, according to Safari. 
“Iran’s relations with China is not recent but historical, while we have never been at war or had border conflicts with the Chinese,” he said. 
China is Iran’s greatest trade partner, especially in light of American sanctions that have restricted Tehran’s relations with the West. 
The two countries have signed a 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership plan and are taking initial steps to implement it. 
Although Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had announced that the plan would become operational in their meeting early last year, no significant step was taken due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Safari. 
Along this line, President Ebrahim Raisi took a three-day trip to Beijing at the top of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation last week, where he held high-level meetings with top Chinese officials and signed dozens of memorandums of understanding. 
Safari, who accompanied the president in this trip, said Raisi also held a session with Chinese economists and corporations. 
“Chinese companies shared their concerns and the president declared that [Iran’s] doors are open and projects are specified, assuring that his government would try to remove obstacles if there are any,” he said. 

Major Development 

Discussion during this trip concerned housing, clean energies, transport, agriculture and other sectors, for which several contracts were signed, according to the diplomat. 
“If these projects are followed up, we will witness a major development,” he said. 
The Iranian delegation also negotiated to obtain permits from China for the export of new agricultural projects, including apple, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits and saffron, as well as dairy products, Safari said. 
Tehran is also seeking to improve its cooperation with China within regional platforms, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 
Iran had applied for membership in the SCO 15 years ago, but the approval of Iran’s candidacy came at a summit in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe last September 2021. 
Safari said Iran will officially become a full member during the upcoming meeting which is set to be held in India around June. 
The Eurasian political, economic and security alliance accounts for 40% of the world’s population and 28% of the global gross domestic product.
Tehran has also officially applied to become a member of the BRICS group of five leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
China has agreed to support Iran to become a member of the intergovernmental organization, according to Safari. 
The diplomat applauded Raisi administration’s tendency to expand ties with Asian countries, as well as with Africa and Europe, which gives priority to neighbors. 
As a result of such policy, Tehran’s ties with Beijing are at their highest level, he said. 
Safari noted, however, that the country’s foreign policy should not be dependent on governments, but should be a sovereign matter so that orientations would not change with the shift of administrations.