China and Iran seek to boost infrastructure and energy links as cooperation agreement comes into force
- Foreign ministers Wang Yi and Hossein Amirabdollahian say the 25-year deal, signed last year, is now being implemented
- Beijing also signals its support for Iran in the latest round of nuclear talks and says the US is responsible for the current impasse
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The landmark China-Iran comprehensive cooperation agreement, signed in March last year and which moved into its implementation phase on Friday, will see the two countries expand cooperation on energy, infrastructure, production capacity, science and technology, and medicine and health care, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
Bilateral cooperation will also be expanded to third-party markets, and in areas including agriculture, fisheries and cybersecurity, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, according to the statement which did not give further details.
China has become Iran’s lifeline since Washington reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran.
China ramped up its purchases of cheap Iranian crude last month after independent refiners were granted additional import quotas for 2021. The nation imported almost 18 million barrels in November, equivalent to about 600,000 barrels a day, according to market intelligence firm Kpler.
US officials have reportedly threatened to enforce sanctions targeting Chinese firms over these Iranian oil sales.
Amirabdollahian told state news agency Xinhua that Tehran “looks forward to learning from China’s development experience and advanced technology”.
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The visit comes as China pushes for a more active role in the Middle East. Earlier in the week, Wang hosted several counterparts from Gulf Arab countries, including Iran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia.
During the Friday meeting, Wang told his Iranian counterpart that China hoped to set up a dialogue mechanism with Gulf countries to discuss regional security issues as soon as possible.
Wang also reiterated China’s position on the Iran nuclear agreement, to which it is a signatory, saying the US bore most of the responsibility for months of stagnation in talks about reviving the deal, which Donald Trump unilaterally quit in 2018.
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US officials have recently reported modest gains in talks between Tehran and other signatories of the 2015 deal in Vienna.
But on Thursday Secretary of State Antony Blinken repeated a warning he made last year that there were only “a few weeks left” to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“We’re very, very short on time,” Blinken told NPR. “Iran is getting closer and closer to the point where they could produce on very, very short order enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon.”
Wang told Xinhua: “The US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA [ Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] on the Iranian nuclear issue and created the current difficult situation. It should bear the main responsibility and correct its mistakes as soon as possible.”
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He said China supported the resumption of negotiations on the implementation of the deal and would take a constructive part in follow-up negotiations.
Iran is also seeking Moscow’s support, with Raisi visiting Russia soon. The two countries are expected to sign a 20-year cooperation agreement to boost trade and military ties.
Reports said this could lead to aerospace purchases and other items, such as new jets and technology.
