TEHRAN – Fathollah Tavassoli, a member of the Iranian parliament (Majlis), has expressed concerns regarding the challenging travel conditions faced by Iranian citizens visiting China and called on China to implement electronic visas to speed up the visa processing.

In an interview with Mehr published on Monday, Tavassoli urged the Chinese government to adopt electronic visa issuance procedures. 

Addressing recent initiatives by the Iranian government to simplify traveling procedures, the lawmaker mentioned the cancellation of visas with several countries to facilitate inbound travel. He expressed the expectation that the Chinese government, recognizing the positive state of political, diplomatic, and economic relations with Iran, would provide the necessary facilities for those interested in traveling to China.

Tavassoli underscored the role of trade relations as a key motivator for individuals seeking to visit China. “Many of them, representing economic and commercial entities in Iran, aim to establish economic contracts with Chinese companies and economic holdings, thereby fostering stronger Iran-China trade relations,” he noted.

Expressing surprise at the travel obstacles to China, Tavassoli called on the Chinese government, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other decision-makers to streamline the travel process. He stressed the need for electronic issuance of travel visas, citing the current global trend of leveraging technology for secure and efficient procedures.

The parliamentarian highlighted the minimum expectation from Chinese officials to promptly consider electronic issuance of travel visas. He urged action to counter the delays Iranian citizens face in lengthy queues for visa issuance, emphasizing the necessity of facilitating travel for the people of Iran to China, considering the vast area of cooperation between the two countries.

He also emphasized the strategic significance of Iran's relations with China in economic and political realms, highlighting the historical strength of economic ties between the two nations. 

MAS/PA