Defense relations between Tehran and Beijing will be promoted, head of the Center for Strategic Research of Iran's Expediency Council, Ali Akbar Velayati, announced.
"Iran and China are going to enhance their defense ties in the fight against terrorism, extremism and the campaign against the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group," Velayati told reporters on Sunday, Tasnim News Agency reported.
"IS poses a serious threat to western China as well. Chinese officials have expressed their willingness to cooperate with Iran in the fight against IS, extremism and terrorism."
Velayati pointed to the recent visit to Iran by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the high-ranking delegation that accompanied him and described it as a change in the East's view of Iran.
"The visit was one of the most important positive political developments in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said, adding that such a presence was a turning point in Iran-China ties.
The Chinese president arrived in Tehran on Friday night for a state visit aimed at further boosting the traditional friendship and economic engagement between the two countries.
During his visit, Iran and China signed 17 cooperation agreements and MoUs as part of efforts to enhance bilateral relations between the two Asian countries in diverse political and economic fields.
His two-day visit came a few days after international sanctions on Iran were lifted following the official start of the implementation of the nuclear deal signed in July 2015 between Iran and P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany).
As a member of P5+1, China played a constructive role in negotiations that led to the finalization of the deal.
