China-Iran relations: Xi Jinping congratulates new president Ebrahim Raisi under shadow of nuclear deal talks

Hardliner says Iran will continue to work hard on relationship and ‘push for a friendly development of the relations’ with its top trading partner

Beijing expected to stay cautious over economic ties with Tehran, even if sanctions are eased

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Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi attends his first press conference after winning the election in Tehran, Iran, on June 21, 2021. Raisi said the US must lift "all unjust sanctions" on Iran. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 7:00pm, 26 Jun 2021Updated: 10:08pm, 26 Jun 2021

Beijing has congratulated the new Iranian president but is still treading carefully as the the talks between Tehran and Washington over the revival of a nuclear deal continue to overshadow its relations with the Islamic Republic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has personally welcomed the victory of hardline judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi, whose major rivals were banned from running in the June 18 presidential election.

“I attach great importance to the development of China-Iran relations,” Xi said, according to an official statement. China’s president said he hoped to work with Raisi to solidify mutual political trust and deepen strategic communication and cooperation.

The new Raisi government, which officially takes power in August, will define much of China’s future relations with Iran and the Middle East, as it enters new negotiations on the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly referred to as the Iran nuclear deal.

During a press conference after he won the presidency, Raisi said he had high expectations for the development of relations with China, which has been giving Tehran political backing over the past two years.

“We have a good bilateral relationship at the moment, and it has a lot of potential to develop further. Iran will continue to work hard and develop such potential and push for a friendly development of relations,” Raisi said.

China, together with the US, Britain, France, Germany and Russia, signed the 2015 deal with Iran to ease sanctions in exchange for restricting Iran’s nuclear programme.