TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who traveled to China on Tuesday, accompanying a delegation that includes Iranian Parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, said Tehran values “comprehensive strategic partnership” with Beijing.

Meeting with his Chinese counterpart Minister Wang Yi, Zarif said, “Our relationship with China is very valuable to us.”

China’s foreign minister says: “I would like to have in depth strategic communication with my old friend (Zarif) to deepen the strategic trust between our two countries and to ensure fresh progress of the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership.”He added, “We consider the comprehensive strategic partnership between Iran and China as one of our most important relations.”

Wang, for his part, said he had watched Zarif’s Sunday speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he had accused Israel of looking for war.

“I saw on television how you defended the rights of Iran loud and clear at the Munich Security Conference. I think an audience of hundreds of millions of Chinese also watched what you said and you are a famous person now,” Wang said, in brief remarks in front of reporters.

“I would like to take this opportunity to have this in depth strategic communication with my old friend to deepen the strategic trust between our two countries and to ensure fresh progress of the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership,” he said.

Majlis speaker pushes for strong ties with China 

Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that Iran is ready to boost ties with China in various areas.

“Relations between Iran and China have always been based on friendship,” he said during a meeting with Li Zhanshu, Chinese chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, in Beijing.

Li said that the two countries are determined to expand relations.

SP/PA