New Iran-China document 'for now' a roadmap

Speaking to Mehr News Agency on Wednesday, Ebrahim Azizi stressed that what has been inked between Tehran and Beijing is just a roadmap, not an agreement or contract.

“According to Article 77 of the Constitution, any form of agreement and contract must be ratified by the Parliament and the recent document is for now not at that level,” the chairman of the security committee of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission added.

One should also note that we cannot just eye the West and ignore the capabilities of East Asia, he said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his visiting Chinese counterpart Wang Yi signed the 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in Tehran on Saturday, marking a milestone in bilateral relations between the two countries.

The cooperation roadmap had been announced in a joint statement during a visit to Tehran by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016.

It consists of 20 articles, covering Tehran-Beijing ties in “Political,” “Executive Cooperation,” “Human and Cultural,” “Judiciary, Security and Defense,” and “Regional and International” domains.

In a meeting with Wang after the conclusion of the deal, the Iranian foreign minister said the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement would lead to further strengthening of relations between Tehran and Beijing.

After the agreement was signed, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran and China are firmly determined to improve “strategic and long-term” cooperation in various political and economic fields and fight terrorism and extremism in the region.

“Tehran and Beijing enjoy very good relations and the two countries’ common stance on international issues attests to the favorable level of these ties,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

MAH/ 5178427