Iran says decisions with China will shape region’s future

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described his visit to Beijing this week as “successful” and highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between Tehran and Beijing.

In a post on the “X” social network, the head of Iran’s foreign policy apparatus said he had held meetings with Chinese leaders. Araghchi said Iran attaches great importance to the strategic partnership it has built over time.

“We held successful consultations with our partners in China. Iran values the strategic partnership we have built over time. The decisions made today will determine the future strategic balance in the region and have immeasurable consequences. The four principles on peace put forward by President Xi Jinping are of fundamental importance,”

Araghchi did not provide further details about the Chinese president’s proposals. According to Chinese media reports, Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Iran and the United States to return to an interim peace agreement signed in June and known as the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.”

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also welcomed President Xi Jinping’s initiative. He said the proposals created timely opportunities to reduce tensions.

“Sustainable regional security requires mutual respect for sovereignty, an end to coercive measures and compliance with international law. Multilateral diplomacy is the only viable path to stability,”

According to a statement from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Araghchi also held telephone talks on Wednesday, while in Beijing, with his Turkish counterpart and Pakistan’s army chief. The sides discussed recent regional developments and issues of mutual interest.

China’s Middle East diplomacy

In 2023, China mediated an agreement to restore diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to protect its interests in the Middle East and the oil-rich Persian Gulf region.

Under the Beijing agreement, diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh, which had been severed in 2015, were restored. The two regional rivals agreed to reopen their embassies and improve political relations.

Alongside economic and trade ties, Iran and China have also been developing strategic relations. Under the 25-year Iran-China Cooperation Program signed in Tehran in 2021, the two countries agreed to expand bilateral ties.