Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) during the signing ceremony of the 25-year cooperation agreement in Iran in March 2021. (Reuters)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to China demonstrates that the 25-year strategic partnership agreement between both nations is the “strongest agreement” with Beijing in the region.

Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a political analyst and professor at the University of Tehran, explained that the West and its media are handling the deal with sensitivity, indicating the document's strength and usefulness. “Whoever studies the text of the 25-year partnership agreement will understand that this document benefits our country,”

Marandi further validated the argument by adding that the same critics who opposed Iran's signing of the deal with China appraised similar agreements but with other countries signing with China, which makes the deal stronger.

The 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement was penned last March in the face of Western-imposed unilateral sanctions against both Iran and China, which linemates bilateral cooperation in political, economic, cultural, and security fields to last for the next 25 years.

A 'traditional friendship'

Before Raisi arrived in Beijing on Tuesday on the official invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, the former assured reporters in Tehran that both countries hold similar ways of fighting unilateralism on the global level.

Raisi's three-day state visit entails discussions with Xi, Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and Chairman of the National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu, in a visit considered Raisi's first to China after taking office in August 2021.

In light of that, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirmed the traditional friendship between Iran and China on Monday and added that the bilateral ties throughout the years “have maintained the momentum of sound growth, featuring stronger political mutual trust, steady progress in practical cooperation in various fields, and sound communication and coordination in international and regional affairs in defense of the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the common interest of developing countries”.

Wenbin further stressed that his country is eager to form a “constructive role in enhancing solidarity and cooperation between countries in the Middle East and promoting regional security and stability.”

Back in July, Raisi assured that Iran and China oppose hegemony and unilateralism, as well as interference in other countries' internal affairs, illegal unilateral sanctions, and double standards.