Call for Joint Efforts to Ensure Asian Security

President Hassan Rouhani called for closer defense cooperation with China and joint efforts to safeguard security in Asia.

"One could not make a distinction between security in different parts of Asia, be it the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean or South China Sea," the president said in a meeting with China's Defense Minister Chang Wanquan in Tehran on Tuesday, Tasnim News Agency reported.

"We need to preserve Asia's security together, and today, the Islamic Republic of Iran also has a very significant role in ensuring global security and stability."

The president referred to terrorism and foreign interference in the internal affairs of other countries as two major threats in the contemporary era. Rouhani voiced Iran's determination to boost cooperation with China—a great Asian country and an age-old friend of Iran—in all fields, including defense.

The visiting Chinese general hailed Iran as the region's leading power, voicing Beijing's resolve to keep working with Iran for the sake of regional security and stability.

Wanquan emphasized the significance of collaboration between the two sides in the fight against terrorism.