Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who is visiting Beijing at the official invitation of his Chinese counterpart, met on Wednesday morning with Ding Xuexiang, the First Vice Premier of China.

Axar.az informs, citing Mehr Agency, during the meeting, the two sides reviewed the current status of cooperation within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Iran and China and discussed ways to accelerate the implementation of the 25-year comprehensive cooperation program.

Araghchi, highlighting China’s position as a strategic and trustworthy partner of the Islamic Republic, emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including within frameworks like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS.

The top Iranian diplomat also underlined the necessity of closer interaction between like-minded countries, such as Iran and China, to counter unilateralism and global bullying, and reiterated Iran’s firm determination to expand ties with China.

He also expressed Iran’s views on regional and international issues, particularly the grave dangers posed by Israel’s continued genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories, its regional aggression, and the recurring US attacks on Yemen. Araghchi called for a firm and immediate international response to stop lawlessness and prevent the law of the jungle from dominating global relations.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also briefed the Chinese official on the ongoing indirect negotiations between Iran and the US, stressing that, despite past bitter experiences, Iran remains committed to diplomacy with goodwill and seriousness.

Xuexiang, for his part, welcomed the comprehensive growth of Iran-China relations, calling the strategic partnership between the two nations a result of mutual trust, respect, and shared interests. He reaffirmed the Chinese leadership’s strong will to further elevate cooperation with Iran in all areas of mutual interest.

He also emphasized the importance of Iran-China coordination in defending multilateralism and the rule of law at the international level, describing the bilateral cooperation as a valuable model of South-South cooperation.

Additionally, he reiterated China’s support for Iran’s efforts to lift sanctions and engage in negotiations over its nuclear program.