Tabnak – After touring the three Scandinavian countries in a bid to improve Iran’s relations with Europe, Iranian foreign minister has started an Asian diplomatic tour to cement the country’s ties with its eastern partners. Iran’s number one Asian partner China was the first stop in the trip.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held a meeting with the Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councilor Wang Yi in Beijing on Monday, in which he expressed concern that the rejection of international law is on the rise.
“Rejection of international law, not just lack of respect for international law, but, in fact, contempt for international law, is on the rise and we need to work together,” Zarif told Wang, in comments in front of reporters, Reuters reported.
The top diplomat said he was in Beijing to brief the Chinese official on his recent meetings in France on the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
Zarif mentioned economic and cultural sectors as the most important areas of cooperation between the two countries, saying, “Iran and China can collaborate in the fields of science, innovation and technology, economy, trade and security issues.”
He also lauded longstanding cordial relations between Tehran and Beijing, noting that the two countries can also closely cooperate within framework of international and regional organizations.
The Chinese foreign minister, for his part, said the landmark nuclear agreement signed between Iran and major world powers, including China, in 2015 was an important diplomatic achievement and a symbol of multilateralism.
"We are currently witnessing the rise of unilateralism and power politics. China, as a responsible country, is willing to work with Iran and the rest of the world to defend multilateralism and protect the basic norms of international relations," Wang said.
He added that Beijing is determined to cooperate with Tehran and the international community to save the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Wang noted that bilateral, regional and international issues were discussed during his meeting with Zarif, and said Iran and China should draw plans for joint cooperation in a way that would help them continue their development and progress.
He said that his Iranian counterpart’s three visits to Beijing over the past year showed the significance of the two countries' diplomatic relations.
Zarif arrived in the Chinese capital early on Monday for talks about the latest regional and international developments and issues of mutual interest.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi had said on Friday that Zarif was scheduled to visit China, Japan and Malaysia in a tour of East Asia as of Sunday to follow up and implement the “active and balanced diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
