WANA (Dec 13) – Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Iran–China relations require new “engines” to accelerate development within their comprehensive strategic partnership, stressing that traditional areas of cooperation alone are no longer sufficient.

 

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the third Iran–China Dialogue Forum, Saeed Khatibzadeh, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), said bilateral ties—while rooted in long-standing foundations—must be expanded through innovative and more efficient mechanisms to meet evolving regional and global conditions.

 

The forum is being held as Iran and China approach the 55th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations. Khatibzadeh emphasized that friendship between Tehran and Beijing remains a core principle of their relationship, regardless of developments in the international system.

 

He noted that the third round of the think tank dialogue is taking place at a time when both bilateral relations and the surrounding regional environment are undergoing significant and impactful changes.

 

These conditions, he said, have prompted scholars and policymakers in both countries to adopt a more pragmatic and forward-looking approach aimed at aligning short-term planning with long-term strategic objectives.

 

Khatibzadeh pointed to the continued political will demonstrated by the top leaders of both countries to advance bilateral relations amid a fragile and unstable regional environment.

 

He said the presidents of Iran and China have used multilateral platforms, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to present initiatives aimed at shaping a new international order that serves the interests of nations worldwide.

 

According to Khatibzadeh, these presidential initiatives share substantial common ground, placing greater responsibility on academic and policy communities in both countries to identify areas of synergy, reduce implementation costs, and facilitate practical cooperation in line with national development plans.

 

He highlighted that the forum coincides with Iran’s Seventh National Development Plan and China’s Fifteenth Five-Year Plan, both of which introduce new approaches to foreign relations.

 

Focusing on shared priorities, he said, could lead to time-bound, cost-effective operational roadmaps that advance the broader visions of the two countries’ leaders through bilateral cooperation.

 

Iran and China elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016 and signed a long-term strategic cooperation document in early 2021, which entered the implementation phase later that year. Khatibzadeh said the agreement remains the cornerstone of bilateral relations, regardless of changes in Iran’s government.

 

He stressed that expanding cooperation in advanced technologies, multilateral frameworks, development corridors, tourism, renewable energy, and clean industries will be key topics at this year’s forum, reflecting both countries’ move toward a green and innovation-driven economy.

 

The third Iran–China Dialogue Forum will be held on December 13 and 14, 2025, in Tehran, organized by IPIS. The event serves as the primary elite-level dialogue platform between research centers, think tanks, and experts from both countries and has become a permanent fixture in bilateral relations over the past three years.

 

The forum includes specialized panels and workshops attended by senior officials, academics, and researchers, focusing on issues such as geopolitical trends in West Asia, economic and technological cooperation, energy, investment, food security, and regional connectivity. An exhibition of historical documents on Iran–China relations and sector-specific sessions on transportation, tourism, and cultural dialogue are also part of the program.

 

Organizers say the forum provides a key platform for expert exchange, operational roadmap development, and the further strengthening of the strategic partnership between Tehran and Beijing at both regional and international levels.