Iran strengthens ties with China, says it never trusted the West

Xi met with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Saturday, during the first visit to the country by a Chinese president in 14 years.

“China is of course considering its self interest in strengthening cooperation with Iran, especially at a time when China is in the midst of expending efforts to push forward the One Belt, One Road initiative, Iran is an important fulcrum”, the paper said.

The International Business Times reported the two leaders agreed to 17 accords, which included the revival of the historic Silk Road trade route and the pursuit of peaceful nuclear energy.

“The Iranian nation and government have always sought to expand ties with such independent and reliable states as China”, the Leader said in a meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping here in Tehran.

“With the Chinese president’s visit to Tehran and our agreements, a new chapter has begun in Tehran-Beijing relations”, Rouhani said in a televised speech, flanked by Xi.

“Iran and China have agreed on forming strategic relations (as) reflected in a 25-year comprehensive document”, he said. Bilateral trade in 2014 was around $52 billion, but dropped off a year ago because of falling oil prices, according to Iranian officials. The two countries also agreed to boost mutual trade.

A joint statement issued after the talks between Xi and Rouhani said the friendly ties between China and Iran have been elevated to a strategic partnership.

Chinese President Xi’s visit to Iran came after a stop in Saudi Arabia earlier in the week during that country’s heightened tensions with Iran.

In this Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tehran, Iran.

“Iran, China, and India are the three major producers of handicraft in the world”. China and Iran are “natural partners” in implementing the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the president said, calling on the two sides to boost cooperation in infrastructure, interconnectivity, production capacity and energy within the framework of the initiative for the benefit of the two peoples.

“We have been negotiating for 10 months” for the purchase of planes but “there was no way to pay for them because of banking sanctions”, Iranian state media quoted Akhoundi as saying.

In a joint statement on January 16, the EU’s High Representative Federica Mogherini and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA aka nuclear deal) and the removal of economic sanctions on Iran. “China and Iran are two important developing countries that must continue regional and global cooperation”, Xi added. In order for sanctions against Iran to be lifted, Arak’s core had to be removed to ensure the reactor would not be used to develop a nuclear weapon.

Both leaders have also agreed to set up an annual meetings between the Foreign Ministers of China and Iran.

Xi, for his part, noted that China’s support for Iran’s nuclear program as well as Tehran’s support for “an integrated and united China” are instances of mutual trust and independent policies adopted by the two states.