Iran underlines special ties between Tehran, Beijing

and China, developments in the Middle East region and Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme.
During the meeting, the Chinese delegates highlighted Iran’s status among regional countries and as a major producer of energy in the Middle East region.
Mehman-Parast, on his part, referred to China’s high position in the global economy and politics and said Beijing is regarded as one of Iran’s major economic and political partners.
China is Iran’s top trade partner, with economic ties expanding in recent years after the withdrawal of Western companies in line with sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its peaceful nuclear programme.
Beijing has also significantly increased its presence in Iran’s oil and gas sector by signing a series of contracts worth up to us$40 billion in the past few years.
China boosted its oil imports from Iran by 30 percent in 2011 despite the West’s pressure on the world’s second largest economy to lower economic ties with Iran.
China’s crude oil imports from Iran have amounted to 27,76 million metric tonnes in 2011, Chinese General Administration of Customs announced earlier this month.
The figure shows that the country traded in nearly 557 000 barrels of oil from Iran on a daily basis last year.
China’s overall crude imports for December 2011 stood at 21,92 million metric tonnes, up 5,1 percent in comparison with the same period in the previous year.
The growth in China’s oil imports from Iran acame despite the West’s efforts to rally support for an oil embargo on Iran. – Fars News Agency.