TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and member of China’s State Council and the country’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a telephone conversation, have exchanged views on bilateral ties, the process of the nuclear negotiations in Vienna and international developments.

The Chinese foreign minister thanked Iran for its participation in the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, noting that the world will witness a wonderful and safe event. He said China hopes Iranian athletes also get good results in the international competitions, the Iranian foreign ministry said. 

Wang Yi also talked about the letter by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tehran-Beijing relations, announcing Beijing’s readiness for all-out expansion and deepening of bilateral relations and strengthening of cooperation and coordination between the two countries on regional and international issues.

Amir Abdollahian also thanked the Chinese government for its supportive stance on the Vienna negotiations aimed at removing sanctions on Iran. He enumerated Iran’s policies and stressed the necessity of the realistic approach on the side of the Western countries.

The Iranian foreign minister underlined that the Western side should make serious and effective decisions on the removal of sanctions and show a meaningful departure from the failed policies of the previous U.S. administration. This, he said, will be possible through elimination of all sanctions that go against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and serious measures to provide relevant guarantees.

The Chinese foreign minister also described United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA as damaging and a violation of Iran’s legitimate rights.

“Cooperation and consultations during the process of the Vienna negations and tabling logical demands and improved proposals by the Iranian side are supported by China,” he stressed.

Wang invites Amir Abdollahian to attend the upcoming meeting on Afghanistan

The Chinese foreign minister also touched on the successful holding of the second summit of foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbors in Tehran, saying the third meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbors will be held in Beijing in person at the end of the next month and invited the Iranian foreign minister to attend the meeting.

The two sides also stressed the continuation of regular consultations on issues of mutual interest.

In mid-January, Amir Abdollahian traveled to China and met with Wang. In the meeting, the two foreign ministers discussed a broad range of political, economic, trade, consulate, cultural, regional and international issues and explored ways of expanding bilateral cooperation over those matters.

Amir Abdollahian congratulated the New Chinese Year and conveyed warm greetings of President Raisi to President Xi. The Iranian foreign minister also submitted Raisi’s message in writing to President Xi. Amir Abdollahian described the letter as an important message at the beginning of the 13th government’s tenure.

Amir Abdollahian reaffirmed Iran’s support for the One China Policy and announced Iran’s readiness to expand all-out ties with China.

He referred to plans to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iran and appreciated China for supplying Iran with 110 million doses of Covid Vaccine.

Amir Abdollahian also spoke of the Iranian government’s agreement to let China inaugurate a consulate in the southern city of Bandar Abbas. He expressed hope that this will facilitate trade relations between the two countries.

The Iranian foreign minister also outlined the latest state of cooperation between Iran and China in different areas, underlining Tehran’s determination to implement all infrastructure agreements with Beijing.

Amir Abdollahian said expanding ties with neighbors and friendly nations is a foreign policy priority of the Islamic Republic of Iran and underscored the continuation of Tehran’s constructive role in regional developments including the protection and strengthening of energy transfer security.

The top Iranian diplomat referred to the significance of cultural relations and the common potentials of the ancient civilizations of Iran and China, describing the interest of Iranian artists in expanding artistic cooperation as a valuable opportunity to use this potential for relations.

The Chinese foreign minister also approved of his Iranian counterpart’s views expounded in his op-ed published by the Chinese press. Wang said the Iranian foreign minister’s views show the bright horizon of bilateral ties between Tehran and Beijing. The top Chinese diplomat underlined his country’s readiness to expand cooperation with Iran in financial, energy, banking and cultural sectors despite the illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation.

Wang announced China’s full support for Iran’s logical stance on the bullying policies of the United States regarding Iran’s nuclear deal. He said Beijing’s principled policy is to continue supporting Iran’s position during the JCPOA talks and underscored that the U.S. must redress its mistake of leaving the deal.

The Chinese foreign minister also described the 25-year strategic cooperation deal between Iran and China as highly important and said Tehran and Beijing’s agreement to start executing the deal is a significant development that paves the way to fundamentally transform bilateral ties.

It is worth noting that the second round of talks between the two foreign ministers was held at the official feast given by the Chinese foreign for Iran’s top diplomat.

During that round of talks, Amir Abdollahian and Wang discussed the latest state of the Vienna talks as well as developments in West Asia and the Persian Gulf.