A senior Chinese diplomat said his government believes Tehran and Beijing have strong relations and there is great potential in both countries to boost collaboration.
Deng Li, the director general for the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of West Asian and North African Affairs, made the statement in a meeting with senior advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati in Tehran on Tuesday, IRNA reported.
“We are ready to cooperate with Iran in political, economic and cultural fields,” noted the official, adding that China seeks to maintain good relations with the Islamic Republic.
“Iran is a great and influential regional country and we need to enhance bilateral consultations.”
Pointing to the landmark nuclear agreement reached in July between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany), he said the accord set the stage for developing ties more than ever before.
“We have been a close partner for Iran in the past and will remain so in the future,” he noted.
The head of the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Council said, “Now that high-level authorities of both sides show the resolve to help expand ties, the two countries need to seize the opportunity to increase cooperation.”
Velayati said regular official visits by the two sides’ officials are an indication of the importance Tehran and Beijing attach to bilateral ties.
“Although relations between Iran and China faced difficulties [in recent years] as a result of westerners’ interference and the problems caused by them, the two countries managed to keep their relations at the highest possible level,” noted the official.
Pointing to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to Iran, Velayati said “strategic” decisions will be made on mutual ties as well as cooperation at regional and international levels during the trip.
Collaboration on the project to revive the old Silk Road and the issue of Iran’s full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be among the main topics for discussions.
