Iran-China strategic partnership needs no one's permission: Ghalibaf

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that Iran and China will continue to bolster their relations based on a 25-year partnership program agreed in March 2021. In a post on his X account, Ghalibaf stated, "The Iran-China comprehensive strategic partnership is rooted in mutual respect, win-win cooperation, and a shared vision for a multipolar world." He added, "This relationship needs no one's permission." Ghalibaf also serves as Iran's special envoy for China affairs.

His remarks came a day after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that Beijing will do everything necessary to protect China's rights and interests following the US announcement of imposing the so-called "D-Day" economic sanctions on Iran. The spokesperson said, "China's cooperation with Iran complies with international law… China is firmly against sanctions that have no basis in international law or UN Security Council mandate."

Ghalibaf has served as Iran's top negotiator in a series of talks with the US in recent months aimed at putting a permanent end to US-Israeli aggression. These talks started in late February and ended in a ceasefire in mid-April, followed by a US campaign of blockade and sanctions against Iran. In his post, Ghalibaf welcomed China's "principled statement" to reject "illegal sanctions against Iran."

China has been Iran's largest trading partner since the US withdrew from an international deal on Iran's nuclear program in 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions on the country. Beijing's economic exchanges with Iran, including its sizable imports of oil and petroleum products, have steadily expanded over the past years despite the growing pressure of US sanctions on Iranian trade partners.

According to a report by Press TV, Ghalibaf's post was made in response to the Chinese foreign ministry's statement. The report by Mehr News Agency (MNA) added that the strategic partnership between Iran and China is based on mutual respect and a shared vision for a multipolar world.