Iran says will sign 25-year economic, strategic cooperation pact with China

Iran and China are to sign a 25-year cooperation agreement later Saturday, Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Said Khatibzadeh said, as the US foes move closer together.

The pact, which will include “political, strategic and economic” components, will be signed by visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in Tehran late Friday, Khatibzadeh told state television.

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“We believe this document can be very effective in deepening” Iran-China relations, the spokesman said, recalling that the pact had first been proposed during a visit to Tehran by Chinese President Xi Jinping in January 2016.

Xi and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani agreed then to establish a roadmap for “reciprocal investments in the fields of transport, ports, energy, industry and services.”

A signing ceremony hosted by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is set for midday.

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