On May 20, Iranian officials confirmed President Ebrahim Raisi's tragic death in a helicopter crash in the northwestern East Azerbaijan province.
Raisi's departure marks the loss of a polished statesman who played a pivotal role in safeguarding Tehran against external interference while deepening its pragmatic relations both within and beyond the Middle East. In China, he is remembered as a dependable friend who brought two strategic partners even closer, significantly enhancing China-Iran ties.
Raisi's landmark visit to China early last year was a testament to his commitment. During this visit, he collaborated with China to expand multisector engagement through a dozen cooperation documents. That same year, bilateral trade soared to an impressive $14.6 billion. The expansion of cooperation in agriculture, trade, tourism, healthcare, and energy underscored a deeper commitment to upgrading Iran's comprehensive strategic partnership with China.
In his exchange with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year, Raisi solidified this understanding, sending a powerful message about long-term priorities. \"Iran's commitment to deepening and upgrading the Iran-China comprehensive strategic partnership is unswerving and will not be affected by any changes in the international and regional situation,\" he affirmed.
This resilience carries profound meaning for Chinese-Iranian ties. Despite threats of rising unilateralism, unwarranted sanctions, and recurring conflicts in the Middle East, the relations under Raisi set a powerful example for common development and world peace. Tehran reciprocated Beijing's willingness to implement their 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan, making significant strides across the energy, trade, and infrastructure sectors.
On the multilateral front, China and Iran's support for regional diplomacy and economic development remains a hallmark, highlighted by Tehran's full-member entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS.
Raisi emphasized that multilateralism is a principal \"guarantee for realizing justice.\" Under his tenure, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) yielded tangible benefits for the people of Iran, reflecting high-level engagements to support the country's development of ports, railroads, and other long-term infrastructure projects.
Reference(s):
Recognizing Raisi's stellar contribution to China-Iran friendship
cgtn.com
