BEIJING (Dispatches) -- China has offered congratulations to Ebrahim Raisi on his inauguration as Iran’s new president, predicting that, under his watch, the Islamic Republic will make “greater progress” in socio-economic development.
“We believe that under the leadership of President Ebrahim Raisi, Iran will achieve greater progress in nation-building and socio-economic development,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement.
The statement was released a day after Raisi took an oath of office in an inauguration ceremony at the Iranian parliament, which was attended by high-ranking Iranian civil and military officials as well as a great number of foreign dignitaries from more than 80 countries.
On Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution officially endorsed Raisi as Iran’s new president who garnered almost 62 percent of the votes in the June 18 presidential election.
Following Rais’s election victory, Chinese President Xi Jinping extended his felicitations and described Iran and China as “comprehensive strategic partners.”
“I attach great importance to the development of China-Iran relations,” Xi said, expressing his willingness to work with Raisi in order to strengthen strategic communication, consolidate mutual political trust, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.
Elsewhere in her statement, Hua hailed the traditional friendship between Tehran and Beijing and called for deepening of bilateral relations.
“China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners. China attaches great importance to developing bilateral relations and stands ready to work with Iran to take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year to elevate bilateral relations to a new level,” she said.
Back in March, Iran and China signed a 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement to strengthen their long-standing economic and political alliance.