Head of the Strategic Research Center of Iran’s Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati voiced the country’s support for the revival of the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean Sea.
Addressing the 11th Silk Road Mayors Forum in the Iranian city of Qazvin on Saturday, Velayati underlined that the Islamic Republic has no problem with the benefits that revival of the Silk Road will bring for China.
Silk Road revival will turn China into an economic power, which Iran approves of, though many other countries might oppose, he noted.
Velayati explained that China will need energy security to make more headways, saying that energy is supplied to China through Iran and Central Asia in full security.
He further made it clear that any plan for the Silk Road will include Iran as a major path, describing the Iranian southeastern port city of Chabahar as a leading juncture in that road that links land routes to the shipping lanes.
Iran and China have ramped up efforts in recent months to boost cooperation in various areas.
The two countries signed 17 documents for cooperation in economic, industrial, cultural and judicial fields during an official visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping back in January.