TEHRAN – Iranians and the Chinese appear resolute about maintaining and strengthening their long-standing ties, holding high-level, back-to-back meetings, and ignoring U.S. efforts to drive a wedge between them.

Ali Akbar Velayati, Advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on International Affairs, recently said that cooperation between Tehran and Beijing is on the right path and could serve as a model of constructive engagement among independent countries.

A four-member delegation of senior directors from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences met with Velayati on Tuesday to discuss regional and international developments, bilateral cooperation, and ways to deepen Iran-China relations.

Referring to the high level of ties between the two countries, Velayati said, “Iran-China relations are at their best. They are deeply rooted, sustainable, and strategic. Cooperation between Tehran and Beijing is on the right track and can serve as an effective model of constructive interaction among independent nations.”

He also emphasized the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation among Iran, China, and Russia, identifying countering the unilateralist and expansionist policies of the United States as a shared priority.

During the meeting, Tang, Deputy Director of the Middle East and Africa Studies Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, expressed his pleasure at meeting Velayati and highlighted the importance of developing and deepening bilateral relations. He added, “Many of the region’s problems stem from the destructive and interventionist policies of the United States. Close cooperation among independent countries can be a means to counter these approaches.”

Tang also extended, on behalf of the President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, an invitation to Velayati to visit China early next year.

At the conclusion of the two-hour meeting, both sides emphasized the continuation of consultations and cooperation in scientific, research, electronic, and artificial intelligence fields between Iranian and Chinese research centers, recognizing the expansion of these interactions as an important step in deepening the strategic relations between the two countries.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of the landmark 25-year strategic partnership agreement signed between Iran and China in March 2021, designed to strengthen their long-standing economic and political alliance. Originally announced during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Tehran in 2016, the deal sets the framework for bilateral cooperation across political, cultural, security, defense, regional, and international domains for the next quarter-century.

During a tour of the Iranian Province of Gilan on Monday, the Chinese ambassador to Iran, Cong Peiwu, stated that U.S. pressure will not affect Sino-Iranian cooperation, vowing that bilateral relations will continue undeterred by American sanctions.

China is Iran’s top economic partner, accounting for roughly 30% of Iran’s foreign trade, far ahead of any other country. Beijing is also the most important source of Iran’s technological and industrial needs, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, and the only major country to maintain an open economic policy toward Iran amid increasing sanctions pressure.