TEHRAN — The foreign ministers of Iran and China discussed the latest status of bilateral relations and regional and international developments in a phone call on late Friday.

While reviewing the latest status of bilateral ties, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian put emphasis on the need to implement the comprehensive 25-year cooperation plan.

He praised China's valuable support in providing the vaccine needed by Iran. 

The Iranian side also discussed the latest status of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with his Chinese counterpart.

Abdollahian described relations between the two countries as strategic, emphasizing Tehran's serious efforts to follow up on the agreements reached between President Xi Jinping and President Ebrahim Raisi in a recent telephone call between the two sides, as well as the full implementation of the 25-year cooperation document.

The phone talks took place after Enrique Mora, deputy secretary general and political director of the European External Action Service, visited Iran on Thursday for talks with Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs Ali Bagheri. The talks mainly focused on resuming the stalled Vienna talks with the aim of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Abdollahian explained the framework of the talks and the definite policy of Iran which is the effective and complete removal of unilateral and illegal sanctions imposed by the United States. He also criticized the inaction of the E3 (Germany, France, UK) in meeting their obligations under the JCPOA.

The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that the talks have started in a positive and constructive direction.

For his part, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Councilor Wang Yi stressed Beijing's stance on the need for a full return of all JCPOA parties to honoring their obligations.

He praised the position of the Islamic Republic in this regard.

The top Chinese diplomat welcomed the beginning of talks between Iran and the European side. 

The Chinese foreign minister stressed that he had instructed his colleagues to continue close consultations in this regard with their counterparts in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Wang expressed Beijing's readiness to implement the 25-year cooperation plan. 

He also stressed Beijing's commitment to continuing cooperation with Tehran to contain the coronavirus outbreak and providing any volume of the required vaccine for as long as Tehran demands.

In the conversation, the Chinese foreign minister stressed that the leaders of the two countries are determined to fully expand bilateral relations, and therefore Beijing, just as in the past, will continue to cooperate and consult with the Islamic Republic at all levels, including mutual cooperation in regional and international organizations.
 

SA/PA