Beijing, March 8th—Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), held a video call here today with Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Secretary of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council (EDC).

Song said, 2022 marks the beginning of the second 50 years for China-Iran relations, as well as the tenth year of cooperation between the IDCPC and the EDC. The Chinese side is willing to, together with the EDC, well implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and President Ebrahim Raisi, deepen strategic communication, support each other on issues concerning respective core interests, deepen exchanges on such topics as poverty alleviation, anti-corruption and global governance, strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, in a bid to promote the development of China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership.

Song also briefed Zolghadr on China's ongoing "two sessions", and the important remarks of General Secretary Xi Jinping on whole-process people’s democracy. He said, 2022 is a critical year for China to forge ahead toward its second centenary goal. The CPC will hold the 20th CPC National Congress in the second half of 2022. It will, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping as the core, unite and lead the Chinese people to strive for a better future.

Zolghadr warmly congratulated on the success of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, and spoke highly of China’s tremendous development achievements made under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. He said, the EDC attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with the CPC, firmly supports the Chinese side in safeguarding its core interests and hopes to further advance strategic communication and experience in state governance and administration with the Chinese side, in a bid to boost comprehensive development of the relations between our two countries. The Iranian side praised the Chinese side for taking a just position on the international issues such as the Iranian nuclear issue, and stood ready to, together with the Chinese side, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, jointly oppose unilateralism and hegemony, and promote world peace and stability.

Zhu Rui, Assistant Minister of the IDCPC, was present.

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