Iranian President begins visit to Beijing

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in China on Tuesday for a three-day visit, flanked by a large delegation including his central bank chief and ministers for trade, the economy and oil.

Raisi will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the capital Beijing, with the pair expected to sign a number of "cooperation documents", Tehran has said.

Iran and China have strong economic ties - especially in the fields of energy, transit, agriculture, trade and investment - and in 2021 signed a 25-year "strategic cooperation pact".

Raisi and Xi met for the first time last September at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan, where the Iranian president called for expanded ties. This is the first state visit by an Iranian president to China in more than 20 years.

The Iranian president will also take part in meetings with Chinese businessmen and Iranians living in the country.

Raisi is being accompanied by the country's foreign minister and ministers for the economy, roads and transportation, oil, industry, mining and trade and agriculture, according to Iranian state television. His delegation also includes Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs and nuclear negotiator.