Iran’s China ties unaffected by Trump presidency, says Khamenei aide

China is Iran’s largest trading and strategic partner and a major buyer of its sanctioned oil

Iran’s ties with China will remain unchanged despite the election of Donald Trump as US president, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said in remarks carried by ISNA news agency.

Ali Akbar Velayati said Trump’s return to the White House in January would not “impact” Iran’s foreign policy, “particularly its ties with China”, according to ISNA.

“Iran and China have long-standing, close and cordial cultural and historical relations and they have had many positive effects on each other,” he was quoted as saying.

The comments were made during a meeting with Cong Peiwu, the Chinese ambassador to Tehran, the news agency said in its report on Sunday night.

Velayati, who served as foreign minister for 16 years until 1997, currently advises Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

China is Iran’s largest trading partner and a major buyer of its sanctioned oil.

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said last week that the Islamic republic had no “serious concerns” regarding oil sales following Trump’s election.

Trump, who implemented a “maximum pressure” policy against Iran during his first term, has named Marco Rubio, a politician known for his hostility toward both China and Iran, as his secretary of state.

This policy involved the imposition of both old and new sanctions on Tehran, complicating Beijing’s efforts to engage Iran in its extensive Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

In 2021, China and Iran signed a 25-year strategic agreement that encompasses various areas, including energy, security, infrastructure and communications.

In September, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reassured Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that China would “support” Iran, regardless of how the international and regional situation evolves.