Iran to Expand Energy Co-op with China

Local Editor

In an official visit to Beijing China on Friday, Iranian Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi met with Chinese vice PM Li Keqiang, where both sides agreed on expanding energy cooperation between their countries.

China Central Television quoted Li saying, "Iran is an important energy supplier and one of the most important trade partners of China is western Asia".

During the meeting, Li told Mirkazemi, "China is willing to maintain dialogue, communication, and coordination with Iran on major international and regional issues and to protect regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity".

China has been one of the important countries to condemn imposed western sanctions on Iran's nuclear program.

Zhang Xiaodong, deputy chief of the Chinese Association for Middle East Studies told China Daily earlier this week, "The US and the EU have no right to urge China to observe the resolutions they unilaterally made, which went beyond the UN sanctions".

Iranian Oil Minister's visit to China aimed at seeking new investments in his country's energy sector, welcoming foreign investment in different areas by China or other nations.

China has already planned to invest $40 billion in Iran's oil and gas sectors, according to what Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Hussein Noqrehkar Shirazi announced on July 31.