Tehran – Minister of Agriculture Gholamreza Nouri emphasized the strategic importance of Iran's geographical location for international trade and transportation, noting that Tehran and Beijing can tap into this potential and create a vast global economic market.

"Given its strategic location, the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys a significant advantage in international transportation," Nouri said in an exclusive interview with China’s radio and television broadcasting (CCTV) on Monday.  
 
"By working together, Iran and China can create a vast market for both domestic and global consumers through the activation of a maritime-based economy and cooperation in agriculture and food security,” he added.

A glance at Iran's trade relations shows China is Iran's first economic partner, with a distant 30% share of the country’s foreign trade compared to other countries.
 
China is the most important source for Iran’s technological and industrial needs, the most important buyer of Iranian oil and the only country that has chosen the policy of keeping its economy open to Iran at a time of mounting sanctions pressure.