The Beijing government has a strong will to implement the 25-year agreement with Iran with a win-win approach

According to IRNA’s foreign policy department, Professor Fan Hongda, attending a seminar on the development of Iran-China relations and the 25-year memorandum of understanding between the two countries, which was hosted by the Iran-China Friendship Association, expressed his views on the development of bilateral relations. And also some obstacles ahead.

In this seminar, which was held by a group of students from different universities, university professors, activists in the field of cultural, commercial and economic relations between Iran and China, as well as a group of members of the association, Fan Hongda emphasized that, in his opinion, the Chinese government is working to develop relations and Also, the implementation of the 25-year memorandum with Iran is determined, and the authorities of the two countries should take faster steps towards the implementation of this agreement with a better understanding and recognition of each other’s position in the international arena, looking at the interests of both sides and strengthening mutual trust.

Emphasizing the need to strengthen the understanding of the Chinese politicians regarding the international position of Iran, especially in the current situation of global developments including the war in Ukraine, he said: Iran is a superior power in the field of energy in the world, and also the position and power of Iran in the Middle East region and Ignored its strategic geographical position in the region.

Referring to the signing of Iran’s nuclear agreement (JCPOA) with Western parties in the past years, Professor Fan Hongda said that some Chinese experts and politicians thought that the Iranian government at that time, after signing the JCPOA, was inclined to expand relations with the West and It has no desire to expand relations with China, and this imprecise view of the Chinese had created concerns for them about the future of relations with Iran.

He also emphasized: China’s global position cannot be ignored, and Iran should keep in mind that China will have a stronger position in the world in the future, considering the approach of balanced diplomacy.

This Chinese expert said: Despite the optimistic view of the two countries’ leaders on the relationship, I personally believe that the relationship has not yet reached the desired level and there are gaps in the relationship that should be taken care of. They are lying in wait, don’t turn around.

He emphasized: Considering the interests of both countries can be the basis of good bilateral relations, and the time has come for the parties to speed up the development of their long-standing and friendly relations.

This professor of Shanghai University considered the lack of human bridges and sufficient communication between the two countries as one of the shortcomings of bilateral relations, pointing out that there is only one flight between Iran and China per week compared to 25 Tehran-Moscow flights per week or five flights between China and Pakistan. In the week, he considered this issue as one of the obstacles in the development of relations between the two countries.

Referring to the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China, Professor Fan Hongda said: “There are different views on this agreement in China as well as in Iran, and at the time of signing this agreement, the officials of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted me to get advice about Iran. They took the title of someone who has been studying the relations between the two countries for many years, and I have always believed that Iran is a country with a bright future, and I have always advised the Chinese authorities that they should take a special look at relations with Iran.

Pointing out that some third parties, including the United States, are not interested in the development of Tehran-Beijing relations, especially the implementation of the 25-year agreement, he said that the friendship between Iran and China has made significant progress in recent years to the point where some parties are jealous.

Emphasizing the need to activate various institutions and organizations to help put the 25-year agreement into the implementation phase, this Chinese expert said that this agreement can be the basis for the development of relations, but as long as it remains on paper, it will be useless.

In this seminar, Ali Mohammad Eghazi, a member of the board of directors of the Iran-China Friendship Association and the former cultural advisor of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Beijing, stated that the importance of China’s international position is not hidden from anyone, and emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran is also due to its geographic location. strategic, regional power, transit potentials, high power in the field of energy, having significant infrastructure in various fields, etc., has a special place in global equations and has good capacities for the presence and activities of Chinese investors to implement large infrastructure projects such as rail transportation and has other fields.

Referring to the issue of “Looking East” as one of the general and principled approaches of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said: This approach is unchangeable even if new developments occur in the relations between Iran and the West, and China, as a friend in difficult times, always It had its place in Iran’s foreign relations and foreign policy.

Also, a group of students participating in this seminar, while raising questions and presenting their views on various issues related to bilateral relations, believed that during the last 4 decades, the severing of relations between Iran and the United States, the unilateral sanctions of the United States against Iran. And along with the West’s anti-Iranian behaviors and policies of Washington, and on the other hand, the upward trend of Iran-China relations during this period, is a testimony to the fact that there is no more room for China to worry about the future of its relations with Iran, and the signing of the 25-year document means that that both countries have a positive view on the long horizons of mutual relations.