TEHRAN – Officials from Iran and China discussed expanding economic ties from conventional trade toward strategic partnerships, joint investment, industrial cooperation and transit development.
Muhammad Sadeq Mofatteh, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, held a meeting with Li Chenggang, China’s International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of Commerce, in Tehran on Thursday.
Mofatteh said Iran is ready to use the two countries’ complementary capacities to expand cooperation in joint investment, production and value-chain development. He said the revised version of the 1991 Iran-China trade agreement has been finalized after several rounds of expert-level negotiations and is ready for signing.
The Iranian official also proposed examining a comprehensive trilateral cooperation framework among Iran, China and Pakistan to boost trade, transportation, logistics, investment and financial cooperation.
He called for stronger mechanisms to ensure the stable supply of essential goods, industrial raw materials, machinery and spare parts from China, including long-term contracts, alternative financial arrangements and emergency supply mechanisms.
Mofatteh further emphasized expanding industrial cooperation in areas including mining, petrochemicals, automobiles, industrial machinery, renewable energy, electrical equipment, batteries, pharmaceuticals and knowledge-based industries, with a focus on joint production, investment and technology transfer.
He described activation of the Iran-China railway corridor as a strategic step for boosting bilateral trade, proposing scheduled freight trains, preferential tariffs and greater cooperation in logistics hubs, dry ports and container terminals. He said complementary routes through Central Asia and Afghanistan could reduce transportation costs and transit times while strengthening supply-chain security and Iran’s position as a regional transit hub.
Mofatteh also proposed that Iran participate as the guest of honor at the China International Import Expo (CIIE 2026) to further promote economic and commercial exchanges between the two countries.