Alireza Khodaqolipour, deputy chairperson of the ministry’s Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), made the remarks on Saturday as the third Iran-China Dialogue Forum kicked off in Tehran.
He said the IPIS launched the forum several years ago in response to rapid international developments and the growing importance of think tanks in countries’ decision-making processes.
Although the IPIS had already maintained relations with Chinese universities and think tanks, it initiated the Iran-China Dialogue Forum as part of broader efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and reduce gaps between “decision-shapers and decision-makers,” he explained.
According to the official, the forum reviews the regional and international contexts in which the two countries operate and facilitates exchanges of views with Chinese scholars on Tehran–Beijing relations across various fields, including politics, security, economy, and culture.
He noted that the forum has now become a fixed component of Iran-China relations, bringing together an increasing number of academics and thinkers from both countries under one umbrella each year.
The two-day third Iran-China Dialogue Forum will conclude on Sunday and features specialized panels and workshops attended by Iranian and Chinese officials, researchers, and academics.
Topics under discussion at this round of the forum include geopolitical developments in West Asia, new capacities for economic and technical cooperation, as well as energy, investment, and food security.
IRNA