Beijing and Tehran will sign a cooperation agreement on Saturday as part of China's "Belt and Road" initiative, according to the local Iranian media. The 25-year cooperation deal envisages Iran's participation in the project initiated by China, Iranian news agency ISNA quoted.

The Chinese and Iranian foreign ministers signed a 25-year cooperation agreement between the two allies in a ceremony carried live on state television. "Our relations with Iran will not be affected by the current situation, but will be permanent and strategic," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was earlier quoted by Iranian news agencies as saying.

The agreement regulates the economic dimensions of the cooperation between the two countries in various fields, Khatibzadeh said. He stressed that the agreement would function as a "road map" in deepening bilateral relations.

The statement came amid Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's official visit to Iranian capital Tehran.

China, one of Iran’s largest trading partners and a long-standing ally, agreed in 2016 to boost bilateral trade by more than 10 times to $600 billion over a decade. Its commerce ministry said on Thursday that Beijing will try to safeguard the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and defend the legitimate interests of Sino-Iranian relations.

Chinese top diplomat is scheduled to meet with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. The two countries' foreign ministers will sign the agreement, official news agency IRNA reported.

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