Alwaght- China and Iran have signed on Saturday a 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership in a ceremony carried live on the Islamic republic’s state television.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi signed the agreement in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Wang Yi, who arrived in Iran on Friday, said “Our relations with Iran will not be affected by the current situation, but will be permanent and strategic.”
“Iran decides independently on its relations with other countries and is not like some countries that change their position with one phone call.”
Referring to the historic and friendly relations between Tehran and Beijing, Wang stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation within the framework of a 25-year strategic partnership agreement and expressed his satisfaction with the deal’s finalization.
He noted that China's ties with the Islamic Republic will not be affected by conditions, but will remain “permanent and strategic.”
Larijani, for his part, emphasized that Iran decides independently on its ties with other states and, unlike certain countries, does not change its position with a phone call.
The two sides further commemorated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic Iran-China relations.
They further explored ways to develop political, economic and strategic ties, underlining the need for close consultations between the two countries to promote long-term cooperation.
Also on Saturday, Wang met with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani.
The top Chinese diplomat is in Tehran for a two-day visit.
The Sino-Iranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was announced in a joint statement during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Tehran in 2016.
The cooperation roadmap consists of 20 articles, covering Tehran-Beijing ties in “Political,” “Executive Cooperation,” “Human and Cultural,” “Judiciary, Security and Defense,” and “Regional and International” domains, according to the statement released back then.
