BEIJING: Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi arrives in China on Tuesday to start a three-day go to aimed toward strengthening financial cooperation and consolidating relations between the 2 nations.
Raisi is predicted to carry non-public talks together with his Chinese language counterpart President Xi Jinping within the capital Beijing, with the pair anticipated to signal plenty of “cooperation paperwork,” Tehran has stated.
Iran and China have robust financial ties — particularly within the fields of power, transit, agriculture, commerce and funding — and in 2021 signed a 25-year “strategic cooperation pact.”
Each nations face strain from Western nations over their positions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which was launched virtually a 12 months in the past.
Iran has emerged as one in every of Russia’s few remaining allies as Moscow has been pushed deeper into worldwide isolation over the invasion.
Tehran faces accusations by Western nations that it has been supplying armed drones to Russia to be used within the battle in Ukraine, a cost it denies.
In December, Washington outlined what it stated was an in depth relationship between Iran and Russia involving tools reminiscent of helicopters and fighter jets in addition to drones, with the latter gadgets leading to new US sanctions.
Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine is a delicate concern for Beijing, which has sought to place itself as impartial however has supplied diplomatic backing to its strategic ally Russia.
Raisi and Xi met for the primary time final September in Uzbekistan at a summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Group, the place the Iranian president known as for expanded ties.
In keeping with Iran’s state information company IRNA, Raisi will participate in conferences with Chinese language businessmen and Iranians dwelling within the nation.
China is Iran’s largest commerce companion, IRNA stated, citing the 10-month statistics of Iranian customs authorities. Iran’s exports to Beijing stood at $12.6 billion, whereas it imported $12.7 billion price of products from China.
China’s international ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated Raisi can even meet Premier Li Keqiang and high Chinese language legislator Li Zhanshu.
“China and Iran take pleasure in a standard friendship, and it’s the strategic selection of each side to consolidate and develop China-Iran relations,” Wang stated.
Beijing desires to “play a constructive position in enhancing the unity and cooperation of nations within the Center East and selling regional safety and stability,” he added.
Raisi’s first go to to China comes days after he declared victory over the nationwide protest motion triggered by the demise in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini following her arrest for an alleged breach of Iran’s gown code for ladies.
Authorities say a whole lot of individuals, together with dozens of safety personnel, have been killed and 1000’s arrested in the course of the protests which they often label as “riots.”
The judiciary has sentenced 18 individuals to demise in reference to the protests, in accordance with an AFP tally based mostly on official bulletins. 4 individuals have been executed, triggering worldwide outrage.