BEIJING: Iran鈥檚 top diplomat warned Friday against 鈥渄estructive interference鈥� in Syria鈥檚 future and said decisions should lie solely with the country鈥檚 people, writing in Chinese state media as he visited Beijing.
Abbas Araghchi touched down in the Chinese capital on Friday afternoon, Iranian state media reported, to begin his first official visit to the country since being appointed foreign minister.
China and Iran were both supporters of ousted Syrian president Bashar Assad.
Assad fled Syria this month after an Islamist-led offensive wrested city after city from his control, with the capital Damascus falling on December 8.
Iran 鈥渃onsiders the decision-making about the future of Syria to be the sole responsibility of the people... without destructive interference or foreign imposition,鈥� Araghchi wrote in a Chinese-language article in People鈥檚 Daily published on Friday.
He also emphasized Iran鈥檚 respect for Syria鈥檚 鈥渦nity, national sovereignty and territorial integrity.鈥�
Iran鈥檚 supreme leader 鈥� a key backer of Assad鈥檚 administration 鈥� predicted on Sunday 鈥渢he emergence of a strong, honorable group鈥� that would stand against 鈥渋nsecurity鈥� in Syria.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Syria鈥檚 young men would 鈥渟tand with strength and determination against those who have designed this insecurity and those who have implemented it, and God willing, he will overcome them.鈥�
In People鈥檚 Daily, Araghchi said supporting the Syrian people was a 鈥渄efinite principle (that) should be taken into consideration by all the actors.鈥�
Beijing had also built strong ties with Assad 鈥� he met President Xi Jinping in China last year, where the two leaders announced a 鈥渟trategic partnership.鈥�
China has affirmed its support for the Syrian people and has said it opposes terrorist forces taking advantage of the situation to create chaos.
Araghchi鈥檚 two-day visit will include talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, according to Iran鈥檚 foreign ministry.
China is Iran鈥檚 largest trade partner, and a top buyer of its sanctioned oil.
Xi pledged in October to increase ties with Iran during talks with his counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in Russia on the sidelines of a BRICS summit.
Araghchi told reporters in a video published by Iranian state media as he arrived in Beijing that the visit was taking place 鈥渁t a very suitable time.鈥�
鈥淣ow it is natural that there are sensitive situations, both the region has various tensions, and there are various issues at the international level, also our nuclear issue in the new year will face a situation that needs more consultations,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he invitation of our Chinese friends was for this reason, that at the beginning of the new year... we should think together, consult and be ready for the challenges that will come.鈥�
He wrote in his editorial that Iran and China shared the 鈥渃ommon view鈥� that calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza was the biggest priority in the Middle East.