Greater Middle East (bbabo.net), - China and Iran can cooperate in various fields in the future, and their ties remain strong, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This was reported today, April 16, by Bloomberg.
“China is willing to steadily develop practical cooperation with Iran in various fields and promote the further development of China-Iran relations,” Wang Yi told Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian during a telephone conversation.
It is noted that Beijing has taken note of Iran's position that its military actions are “limited” and the country is “exercising its right to self-defense,” according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. China also believes Iran can handle the situation to "avoid further turbulence," Wang Yi added.
According to Bloomberg, the Chinese Foreign Minister's comments indicate China's willingness to offer Iran some diplomatic support after its missile and drone attacks on Israel raised fears of a wider conflict.
Tehran said the move was in response to an attack on its embassy compound in Syria that killed senior Iranian military officials. This was the first time Iran attacked Israel from its territory.
It is noted that Wang Yi did not say what kind of cooperation China is willing to develop with Iran, but Beijing has made similar promises in the past. Last year, Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed to deepen ties after meeting Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi in Beijing. Just weeks earlier, the US said it would increase pressure on China to stop buying Iranian oil.
The day before, the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at countering China's purchases of Iranian crude oil, as part of a package of bills introduced in response to Iran's actions.
China is the main consumer of Iranian oil, although Tehran suspended supplies in January, demanding higher prices. Beijing is also a key negotiating force in stalled talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
Last year, China helped Iran and Saudi Arabia reach an agreement that broke a decades-long diplomatic impasse between the Middle East rivals. China has also pushed to expand the BRICS bloc, which Bloomberg believes it aims to lead, with Iran becoming a member in 2024.
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