Iranian Chinese FMs meet on sidelines of SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who is in Kazakhstan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held talks on Friday afternoon with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the gathering.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who is in Kazakhstan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held talks on Friday afternoon with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the gathering.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the most significant aspects of bilateral relations, regional and international developments, as well as issues on the SCO agenda.

Referring to the strategic partnership between Tehran and Beijing, the foreign ministers underscored the commitment of the two countries' leaders to further strengthen and deepen cooperation across all areas of mutual interest. They also stressed the importance of fully implementing existing agreements and making full use of the capacities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS to expand both bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Araghchi outlined the consequences of the United States' clear violation of the provisions of the ceasefire memorandum, condemning the brutal attacks on Iran's critical infrastructure and the commission of war crimes. He noted that the current insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region stems exclusively from the United States' breach of its commitments and its disruption of the implementation of Iran's obligations under Clause 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum.

Reaffirming Iran's determination to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity against U.S. military aggression, Araghchi also stressed the responsibility of all governments to prevent the continued erosion of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and the normalization of the use of force in international relations.

For his part, the Chinese foreign minister said that restoring peace and stability in West Asia requires greater trust and cooperation among the countries of the region, and reaffirmed China's readiness to provide any assistance in this regard.