Iran's Zarif in China: Disregard for international law on rise

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says disregard for international law has increased during recent years, describing this as a reason for boosting international cooperation between Iran and China.

According to Press TV, Zarif made the remarks during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Monday, where he is on a two-day tour of the Far Eastern country.

“Inattention to international regulations and humiliation of international law has been on the rise and this is why the two countries of Iran and China, as age-old friends, need to further expand their bilateral cooperation,” Iran's top diplomat said.

Zarif mentioned economic and cultural sectors as the most important areas of cooperation between the two countries, saying, “Iran and China can collaborate in the fields of science, innovation and technology, economy, trade and security issues.”

He also lauded longstanding cordial relations between Tehran and Beijing, noting that the two countries can also closely cooperate within framework of international and regional organizations.

The Chinese foreign minister, for his part, said the landmark nuclear agreement signed between Iran and the 5+1 group, including China, in 2015 was an important diplomatic achievement and a symbol of multilateralism.

"We are currently witnessing the rise of unilateralism and power politics. China, as a responsible country, is willing to work with Iran and the rest of the world to defend multilateralism and protect the basic norms of international relations," Wang said.

He added that Beijing is determined to cooperate with Tehran and the international community to save the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Wang noted that bilateral, regional and international issues were discussed during his meeting with Zarif, and said Iran and China should draw plans for joint cooperation in a way that would help them continue their development and progress.

He said that his Iranian counterpart’s three visits to Beijing over the past year showed the significance of the two countries' diplomatic relations.

ME