Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran plans a high-level body to coordinate cooperation with China, and separately argued that Beijing could help end the Iran-U.S. war.
Qalibaf made the proposal in an article published on Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s website, Anadolu Ajansı reported. The body would set priorities, shorten decision timelines, check progress on joint work and follow matters that cut across sectors, the agency said. Qalibaf said it would not take over the duties of existing government agencies.
Qalibaf described Tehran’s relationship with Washington as “neither war nor peace” and argued that China could play a part in ending the conflict. He said Beijing’s relationships with Iran and Arab countries, alongside its diplomatic initiatives, could support regional stability. Qalibaf also serves as Iran’s special representative for China affairs and leads its negotiating delegation with Washington.
He urged Tehran and Beijing to begin delivering projects under their 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement. Anadolu reported that the war began Feb. 28 with U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, and cited unresolved questions over sanctions relief, security guarantees and the Strait of Hormuz.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Nov. 2 that Zhai Jun, China’s special envoy on Middle East affairs, would visit Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early and mid-November. The ministry said the visits aimed to promote peace talks, ease tensions and support regional peace and stability. The tour is underway: Anadolu reported that Zhai had visited Iran by Nov. 9. EconoTimes previously covered China’s November envoy tour.
