“We are all standing on the same boat moving toward the same direction,” Chang Hua said in an interview with China’s People’s Daily.
According to him, China has made every effort to prevent and control the disease in its mainland and has so far managed to control and improve the situation.
“Such achievements have been well received by the international community,” he noted.
Referring to the two countries' firm determination to fight the disease, the Chinese ambassador said, "Iran soon sympathized with China after the outbreak of the coronavirus in December, and the Iranian foreign minister expressed his support for China in the fight against the disease."
Referring to the message "Be strong China; be strong Wuhan", which the Iranian foreign minister had said back in December, Chang Hua said, "These actions show a sincere friendship between the two countries and nations, and these will not be forgotten."
He added that "we will never forget the generous donations to China by a country that itself was under intense US pressure and sanctions."
The Chinese envoy further pointed to the decoration of Tehran’s iconic Azadi Tower in red, the signature of 10,000 people, the video messages of the Iranian people, as a sign of the Iranian people's widespread support for China.
Elsewhere, Chang said that after the outbreak of the disease in Iran, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on behalf of the Chinese government and people.
He added that China has tried to alleviate part of its partner’s challenges by sending humanitarian aid and a group of volunteer medical staff to the country.
“These cases are a reflection of friendship, morality and responsibility between the two countries,”
He concluded that sooner or later the pandemic will end, “and a new spring of China-Iran strategic partnership will begin.”
MNA/IRN83749640