Pezeshkian calls for pushback against ‘bullying’, unilateralism
Iran-China convergence serving as ‘solid basis for expanding cooperation’: Official
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday urged closer cooperation with China to counter what he called the “bullying” of states seeking to undermine relations between Tehran and Beijing.
Speaking during a meeting with Huang Hu, a senior member of the Communist Party of China, Pezeshkian said Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has instructed the government to expand relations with China, and my administration is “committed to moving quickly to implement agreements through a joint working group.”
The remarks came a day after Pezeshkian’s talks with President Xi Jinping, where both leaders agreed to accelerate previously signed deals. “The Islamic Republic is ready to put into practice all the agreements reached,” Pezeshkian said, stressing that the outcomes of the Xi meeting must be followed through.
Huang echoed those pledges, saying Beijing is “ready to operationalize” Xi’s commitments. He underlined China’s continued backing of Iran’s sovereignty and national interests, adding that promises made by Xi would “certainly be fulfilled.”
Turning to multilateral cooperation, Pezeshkian described the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a key platform to counter unilateralism. “Humanity is thirsty for justice, fairness and rule of law,” he said. “Global civilization rests on the ancient cultures of countries like Iran and China, enabling nations to live with dignity.”
Huang thanked Tehran for supporting Xi’s recently unveiled “Global Governance Initiative,” presented at the SCO summit this week. He said China and Iran shared common views on rejecting hegemony and upholding the post-World War II international order, calling the convergence “a solid basis for expanding cooperation.”
Pezeshkian had endorsed the initiative in his meeting with Xi, calling it an important step toward strengthening multilateralism and pushing back against unilateral approaches. The proposal seeks to reshape global governance around fairness, multipolarity, and people-centered development.
The Iranian president wrapped up his four-day visit to China on September 3 by joining leaders from more than 25 countries at a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, where China showcased its latest weaponry.
During his stay, Pezeshkian addressed the 25th SCO summit and the parallel “SCO Plus” meeting and met with the presidents of China, Russia, Turkey, and Tajikistan, Pakistan’s prime minister, and the UN secretary-general. He later held a session with Iranian expatriates living in China.