China to push for revival of talks on Iran nuclear deal
- Xi Jinping tells Ebrahim Raisi that Beijing supports Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty
- The Iranian president says his country will play an active part in the Belt and Road Initiative
Xi also said Beijing attached great importance to bilateral ties and “will never waver no matter how the international and regional situation changes”.
“China supports Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, and resisting unilateralism and bullying, and it opposes interference by external forces in Iran’s internal affairs and undermining of Iran’s security and stability,” state broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as saying.
Without naming the United States, Raisi echoed Xi’s comments on external forces, adding that Tehran also backed Beijing’s safeguards on national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Raisi also said Iran would strengthen its ties with China on all levels, deepen cooperation in trade and infrastructure, and welcome more Chinese investment and tourists.
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The Iranian president arrived in Beijing on Tuesday and was welcomed with a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour in Tiananmen Square.
After the meeting at the Great Hall of the People, the two presidents witnessed the signing of more than a dozen bilateral cooperation documents in agriculture, trade, tourism, environmental protection, health, disaster relief, culture and sport.
Raisi had said he would sign as many as 20 deals with China during his three-day visit.
He said it was necessary to step up efforts to push forward cooperation in economic, energy, financial and monetary areas.
Raisi took office in 2021 and is the first Iranian president to visit China since 2018.
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His visit comes as both China and Iran are struggling with challenges at home and abroad.
Beijing’s relationship with Washington is also at its worst in recent decades with tensions mounting across multiple fronts, from trade to advanced technology to the military.
In addition, its nuclear talks with world powers have been effectively suspended, dashing its hopes of exporting more oil and natural gas to revive its economy crippled by years of US sanctions.
“It’s a sensitive moment for both China and Iran and their own development,” said Fan Hongda, professor at Shanghai International Studies University’s Middle East Studies Institute.
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China is Iran’s biggest trading partner and an important source of investment. It is also the major buyer of Iran’s oil.
In 2021, the two sides signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement that covers areas such as oil exports, infrastructure, mining, transport and agriculture.
Few details of the agreement have been released but there have been concerns in Iran that Tehran gained little from the deal.
There are also questions over how Chinese companies can avoid the risk of violating US secondary sanctions that restrict the use of US dollars in trade and investment activities with Iran.
Ma Xiaolin, an international relations scholar at Zhejiang International Studies University in Hangzhou, said Raisi might seek Beijing’s support to use more yuan in trade settlements and investment with Iran.
“Iran may be looking for how to put the 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan into practice, while Raisi may also want to seek support from Chinese leaders, for example, to use yuan to invest and purchase energy deals,” Ma said.
