Raeisi calls China ties his pending govt.’s priority

Speaking during a phone call made by Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Ebrahim Raeisi describes the Sino-Iranian relations as a priority for his pending government. 

“Enhancement of the level of cooperation and expansion of relations with China is a priority for the Iranian government in the area of foreign policy,” the Iranian chief executive told his Chinese counterpart during the conversation on Wednesday.

Raeisi said the complete implementation of the 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement that was signed by the countries back in March “should be on the agenda of all of the countries’ [various] apparatuses.”

Gratitude over Chinese support

He voiced gratitude towards Beijing over its supportive stance concerning Iran over various issues.

These he said, included backing Tehran against instances of the United States’ unilateralism, including its withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and others.

China has routinely denounced the departure as well as the inhumane sanctions that the US reimposed against Iran after leaving the agreement.

The US has to indicate its commitment towards Iran “in action,” Raeisi said, adding that this necessitated that Washington stop its violation of the obligations and relieve the sanctions.

The Iranian president also thanked China for backing Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Raeisi urged that Beijing expedite delivery of millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines that Iran had bought from China in order to be able to fight the pandemic.

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Support for China’s anti-virus efforts, integrity

He, however, thanked China for helping Iran fight the pandemic, and also attached respect to the country’s efforts to help many other nations confront the deadly disease.

The Iranian president, meanwhile, said efforts aimed at the politicization of the virus and its source posed “serious threat” to the entire international community’s health situation. Such malign attempts, he added, exemplified some countries’ push to try to isolate China. 

Iran backs China’s sovereignty over the entirety of its territory, Raeisi also said, communicating the Islamic Republic’s strong opposition to the US and its allies’ “impudent” efforts to violate the principle.

Cooperation on Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic is prepared to cooperate with China on the issue of establishment of security, stability, and calm in Afghanistan.

The foreigners’ withdrawal, he said—referring to the US’s pullout from the Central Asian country—showed that it was Afghans, who had to join their efforts towards guaranteeing the country’s security and development, 

Xi hails 50 yrs of developing relations

The Chinese head of state, for his part, said that the countries’ relations had weathered various international developments over the past half a century.

The ties began fairing even “remarkably” better after the conclusion of the comprehensive Sino-Iranian cooperation deal.

China would expend maximum effort to help Iran receive the vaccines, the Chinese statesman also asserted.

He thanked Iran over its support for China’s “fundamental interests,” and said his country’s support for Iran’s membership of the SCO was in line with the organization's “long-term interests.”

Xi also referred to the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear accord as the source of the problems that currently surrounds the deal, saying China “backs Iran’s logical demands.”

Also on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese opposite number, Wang Yi, exchanged messages, congratulating each other on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the countries’ diplomatic relationship.

Zarif used the opportunity to again highlight the importance of the bilateral strategic partnership deal.

Signing of the document earlier this year “served as a stamp of approval of Iran and China’s long-term outlook of the mutual ties and their leaders’ serious determination for the expansion and deepening of the relations in all areas of cooperation,” wrote the Iranian top diplomat.

Yi’s message, in turn, celebrated the “continuation, progress, and development” that the diplomatic ties have been witnessing ever since their establishment.

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