Xi to meet Norwegian PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Beijing Monday afternoon.

The Norwegian prime minister is paying an official visit to China from Monday to Wednesday.

Iran is willing to keep strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation with China, President Masoud Pezeshkian told reporters on Monday in the capital Tehran.

Pezeshkian made the remarks during his first news conference since taking office in late July.

Iran was admitted to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a member state in 2023 and has achieved full membership in the BRICS group from January 1, 2024.

When asked how he views the prospect of China-Iran relations, Pezeshkian hailed China's successful mediation that led to the reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia while eying deeper bilateral cooperation with China.

"Iran has always maintained good relations with China. Chinese mediation to resolve Iran-Saudi disputes marks a big step towards regional harmony. Iran is a comprehensive strategic partner of China. We will work to strengthen [bilateral relations] and implement relevant agreements. We hope to advance that cooperation," he said.

When it comes to tensions in the Middle East, Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying to drag Iran into the conflict and undermining regional peace by assassinating former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran has remained restrained but reserves the right to self-defense under specific conditions, he stressed.

The Iranian president also condemned Israel for committing war crimes and genocide against Palestinians, urging the international community to condemn and stop these actions.

On relations with the United States, Pezeshkian noted that Iran seeks peace instead of war, and has no plans to develop nuclear weapons. However, the United States has torn up the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and imposed comprehensive sanctions against Iran.

The improvement of U.S.-Iran relations depends on whether the United States will remove its hostility towards Iran and lift the sanctions, he said.

He called on countries in the region to strengthen solidarity, bridge differences, and stop the crimes committed by Israel. Iran stands ready to continue enhancing cooperation with friendly countries such as China within the framework of multilateralism to achieve win-win results, said Pezeshkian.