BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Feb 19.

Wang said China valued Iran’s role in regional affairs and expected Iran to have a more constructive role in such affairs.

“The situation in the Middle East and the world is undergoing major changes, and relations between China and Iran are also facing a new situation,” Wang said.

“Both China and Iran are countries with thousands of years of civilization and tradition. In the face of the periodical changes consisting of certain individual events, the two countries can maintain strategic strength, while safeguarding and promoting ties with a long-term perspective, in efforts to continuously inject new content into bilateral ties.”

Zarif said the Iranian side highly valued the partnership with China and regarded China as an important, all-around cooperation partner.

Zarif, who is accompanying Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on a visit to China, said he expected the speaker’s ongoing China tour to promote bilateral ties to a new stage.

Zarif expressed the active will to take part in the Belt and Road construction, saying the Initiative was of special significance to both Iran and China.

“The Iranian side welcomes China’s more important role in issues concerning the Middle East region such as Syria, Iraqi reconstruction and the peace process in Afghanistan,” he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program reached in 2015, stating that they would continue to strengthen communication and coordination and make active efforts to safeguard legitimate rights and interests, implement the agreement and defend multilateral rules.