TEHRAN – Iran has called for China to step up its economic relations with the country in the post-sanction era.

“As China expanded its economic relations with Iran during the sanctions, the country fits for playing stronger role in the Iranian economy after the removal of the sanctions,” Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Chairman Gholam-Hossein Shafeie said during Iran-China Business Forum in Beijing on Tuesday.

“China can collaborate on establishing industrial parks in Iran’s free zones,” he suggested.

Non-oil trade between Iran and China amounted to $17.682 billion in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2015-March 2016), naming China as the biggest trade partner of the Islamic Republic, according to Iran Customs Administration.

China and Iran mapped out a wide-ranging 25-year plan to broaden relations and expand trade during the meeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in Tehran in January.  

The two sides discussed promoting bilateral relations of up to $600 billion over the next 10 years.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, accompanied by a 70-member high-ranking politico-economic delegation, started its three-leg visit to India, China and Japan late Friday to balance communications and interactions with different countries around the world.

HJ/MA/MG