TEHRAN — In an interview with the Global Times published on Thursday, Mohammad Keshavarzzadeh, the Iranian ambassador to Beijing has pointed out that the West is propagating against strategic ties between Iran and China, since it considers the cooperation as a “threat.”

Keshavarzzadeh said he believes that the Western media continue to use the "media" as a leverage to expand its colonial dominance. 

“They spread false and manipulated information through social media and mass media to prevent Iran-China friendly cooperation.” he said. 

According to Keshavarzzadeh, Iran and China have had friendly and peaceful relations for centuries and have never been at war with each other.  

The top Iranian diplomat to China said the Western nations see China, an emerging world power, as a “threat to their strategic dominance.”

On the Iran-China strategic cooperation plan, Keshavarzzadeh said the West sees the establishment of long-term strategic and friendly relations between China and other independent countries such as Iran as a threat to its core interests in the region. 

“They try to paint a bad image of China to intimidate people in other countries,” he told the Global Times.

“When the economic cooperation brings prosperity to the local people and improves their livelihood, this poisonous and unrealistic propaganda of the West loses its effect,” he said on the economic effects of the cooperation plan. 

According to the ambassador, Iran and China face common threats such as terrorism, extremism, organized crime, and drug trafficking, which require continued cooperation on important regional and international issues to address these challenges and increase regional peace, stability, and transportation, and trade in international waters.

Achieving these goals requires greater cooperation between the security and military sectors of the two countries to exchange information and plan joint maneuvers. “In this regard, close contacts are underway between the military, security and defense sectors of the two countries,” said the Iranian ambassador. 

The foundation for the comprehensive 25-year cooperation plan between Iran and China was set in line with the implementation of the joint statement of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during Xi's official visit to Tehran in 2016.

As the title suggests, it primarily covers all the different aspects of cooperation between the two countries, and the second aspect is the duration of cooperation, which is a roadmap for a quarter of a century.

Keshavarzzadeh called Iran and China two ancient Asian civilizations that have been linked for thousands of years, adding, “The purpose of this plan is to deepen and strengthen these bilateral relations and it is not against any third country,” he said.

On the Xinjiang controversy, he said, “Last week, I visited the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with diplomatic delegates from more than 20 countries. I thought it was very beautiful there. I witnessed how the efforts of the Chinese central government have changed the lives of the local people and brought prosperity and development to the region. The goal of the Western countries in raising the Xinjiang issue is not benevolent, but only political, and its purpose is to put pressure on the Chinese government. The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly opposes these double standards of the West.”

Keshavarzzadeh also said the U.S. officials have acknowledged that the policy of maximum pressure on Iran has failed. 

“Iran and China both see the sanctions as interference in domestic affairs and a violation of international law,” he added. 

The ambassador also said decision-making system in Iran is based on “national interests” and said that these decisions will not be influenced by Western pressures. “China is now a major global player, and our officials agree with China on the expansion of comprehensive strategic partnerships,” Keshavarzzadeh said. 

He said Iran has a prominent geographical location in West Asia that could connect China to Europe. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, the diplomat said, “China has played a constructive role in the issue of Iran's nuclear program.” 

The ambassador went on to say that the two countries exchange views on this issue and China has criticized the United States for violating the 2015 nuclear deal endorsed by the UN Security Council resolution. 

Pointing to Iran’s stance, he stated, “We expect the members of the JCPOA and the international community to act in accordance with their commitments.”

SA/PA