Senior Analyst Underlines Iran's Geostrategic Importance to China

TEHRAN (FNA)- Head of the International Movement for Fair Peace Chandra Mozaffar underlined the good relations between Tehran and Beijing, and said that Iran is of geostrategic value for China.
"Owing to the fact that Iran plays a major role in the Central Asia, and a number of Central Asian republics are geographically linked with China, Beijing attaches geostrategic importance to Iran," Mozaffar told FNA on Monday.

He referred to the good relations and cooperation between Tehran and Beijing, and reminded that Iran is one of the biggest fuel suppliers to China and is, thus, of strategic value to that country.

Meantime, Mozaffar reiterated that despite such friendly relations, China is not expected to confront Washington for its ties with Iran since the US is Beijing's biggest market and China's important source for new technologies.

Iranian officials have always reiterated the importance of Iran's strong ties with China.

Speaking to reporters in Kazakh capital city of Astana on Tuesday evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi had lauded the "strategic" ties between Iran and China, and stressed the two countries' common views on different international issues.

Salehi said that Iran and China have similar views on many important international issues, and the two countries plan to hold regular negotiations.

"Tehran-Beijing ties are strategic and their prospects are bright," Salehi stated.

Salehi made the remarks after a recent meeting between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

As regards the two presidents' meeting, Salehi described the talks as "positive and constructive".

The two presidents discussed recent developments in the Middle-East and North Africa as well as Tehran-Beijing bilateral economic and trade cooperation.