Iran, China to Develop Defense Ties in Future: Velayati
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Head of the Strategic Research Center of Iran's Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati announced that the defense relations between Tehran and Beijing is going to be promoted.
Iran and China are going to enhance their defense ties in the fight against terrorism, extremism, and the campaign against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, Velayati told reporters on Sunday afternoon.
Daesh is a serious threat to the Western China as well, the Iranian politician noted, reiterating that Chinese officials have expressed the country’s willingness to cooperate with Iran in the fight against Daesh, extremism, and terrorism.
Velayati also pointed to the recent visit to Iran by the Chinese President Xi Jinping and the high-ranking delegation that accompanied him, and described it as a change in East’s view of Iran.
“The visit was one of the most important positive political developments in the history of Islamic Republic of Iran,” he noted, adding that such a presence was a turning point in Iran-China ties.
Chinese President arrived in Tehran Friday night for a state visit to Iran aimed at further boosting the traditional friendship and economic engagement between the two countries.
During his visit, Iran and China signed 17 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) as part of efforts to enhance bilateral relations between the two Asian countries in diverse political and economic fields.
His two-day visit came a few days after West-led sanctions on Iran were lifted following the official start of implementation of nuclear deal signed in July 2015 between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany).
As a member of the G5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3), China played a constructive role in the negotiations that led to the finalization of the deal.
