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Tehran, April 21, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is keen to develop relations with China.
In a meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, the Supreme Leader said that Iran favors utilization of all its capacities to foster bilateral cooperation with China in line with the two countries' common principles of safeguarding their independence and national identity.
The Leader said that Iran and China have excellent relations adding that they are expected to make efforts to use all capacities to boost cooperation and seriously work to remove obstacles in this respect.
The Supreme Leader said that Asia enjoys wide-scale capacity to develop regional cooperation. The Leader also lauded the idea of fostering cooperation among Iran, China and India.
The Leader, referring to the international developments especially the situation in the Middle East, said that the United States by taking advantage of its political and military power attempts to impose its own views on the world community. "This has posed a great threat to all countries and for this reason the international community is required to oppose Washington's wrong stance in order to save the future of humanity," the Leader pointed out.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the United States ignored the crimes being committed by Israel and its state terrorism against Palestinians and describes the Palestinians' resistance to Israeli military operations against defenseless people as terrorism.
This is the worst kind of stance toward the alarming situation in Palestine, the Leader said.
The Leader said that the extent of the humanitarian tragedy created by the Zionist regime in Palestine (in the West Bank towns particularly in Jenin refugee camp) is so horrific that it has harmed the conscience of the international community. Ayatollah Khamenei added that the Arab and other independent states should undertake their role to help Palestinians vindicate their rights.
The Supreme Leader said that the European states have stayed clear of the United States over the situation in Palestine and they no longer support the US stance on the Middle East.
"The Palestinians are defending themselves under the heaviest military attacks. Supporting this people is the ethical duty of all countries," the Leader pointed out.
The Islamic Republic of Iran extends moral support to the Palestinian nation and regards Israel as "usurper" and believes that Iran's views will gradually receive global acceptance, the Leader said.
President Zemin expressed pleasure with his visit to Iran and said that Iran is a country with ancient civilization. He called for boosting of Tehran-Beijing relations.
He said that he had held successful negotiations with Iranian officials in Tehran on cooperation in the field of energy, transport, telecommunications and heavy industries adding that Tehran and Beijing enjoy excellent and growing relations and all capacities should be explored in this respect.
On the international issues, the Chinese president said that Iran and China have common stance toward the international developments adding that the US extortionist and hegemonic policies have faced global objection.
President Zemin said that Israel should immediately withdraw from the occupied territories and the international community should help the Palestinians get their rights.
He said that China condemns any form of terrorism and added, "We believe that terrorism should be dealt with on the basis of valid evidence and the international campaign against terrorism should not breach international regulations or carried out unilaterally."
President Mohammad Khatami was also present in the meeting.
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