China's deputy PM: Beijing always respects Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity

Iran's President Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi has met with the visiting Chinese deputy prime minister in the capital Tehran, with the latter stressing that Beijing has invariably recognized and respected Iran's territorial integrity and interests.

According to Press TV, the meeting took place on Tuesday after Hu Chunhua, heading a high-ranking trade and economic delegation, arrived in Tehran to pursue the implementation of the 25-Year Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Agreement between China and Iran.

President Raeisi underlined that the relations between Tehran and Beijing have been expanding since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, saying, however, "Some positions raised during the Chinese president’s recent visit to the region caused dissatisfaction and grievance among the people and in the government of Iran, and Iran's serious demand is for [China] to make up for the declared positions.”

He praised the presence of the Chinese delegation in Iran as “significant” for the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Raeisi pointed to the important agreements reached in the previous meetings of the two countries’ presidents and emphasized efforts made by the officials in both sides to implement them.

Hu Chunhua, for his part, conveyed the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to the Iranian president and emphasized Beijing’s interest in further developing relations with Tehran.

He said China's resolve to develop relations with strong Iran is a permanent strategy of his country.

“China will preserve the determination to strengthen and deepen relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, regardless of regional and international developments,” he said.

The Chinese deputy premier reaffirmed, “China has always respected the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran and supports Iran's efforts to secure its basic interests.”

Hu Chunhua went on to say that the two sides are taking a big step toward  the implementation of a strategic partnership agreement with the beginning of the joint investment operations of tens of billions of dollars and the development of economic, industrial, energy, transit, financial and banking cooperation.

Iran and China signed a landmark 25-Year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in March 2021 in defiance of the US’s unilateral sanctions.

The deal officially documents the Sino-Iranian comprehensive strategic partnership that was announced during a visit by President Xi to Tehran in 2016. It sets the outlines of the two countries’ cooperation in political, cultural, security, defense, regional, and international domains for the next 25 years.

Respecting Iran's territorial integrity ‘an inviolable principle’

In another development on Tuesday, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and the Chinese deputy prime minister met and emphasized the implementation of the 25-year partnership deal.

Mokhber and Hu Chunhua called for expediting the implementation of agreements reached between Beijing and Tehran, and underlined the necessity of paying heed to Iran’s territorial integrity as an “important and inviolable principle.”

The Iranian first vice president  said respecting the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic is of “great significance” in the eyes of the Iranian people and officials.

Mokhber also said Iran and China have the same positions in confronting the Western unilateralism, adding that good and constructive negotiations were ongoing between the two countries regarding various issues.

Hu Chunhua, for his part, said Beijing’s determination to expand comprehensive strategic ties with Iran will never alter, and that China supports national dignity and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic as well as its fight against foreign intervention in the country.

The Chinese official also called for the expansion of coordination and collaboration with Iran in the field of fighting terrorism.

ME