By NNN-IRNA,
Beijing : Head of Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) Mehdi Mostafavi stressed the importance of expanding ties with China in various cultural fields.
Mostafavi, who arrived in Beijing on Thursday at the invitation of Chinese Minister of Culture Cai Wu, was speaking to IRNA in an exclusive interview.
He expressed hope that the visit would pave the way for bolstering cultural cooperation.
Iran and China would sign agreements on cultural relations for the next three years, added the official, also an advisor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
He stressed there were proper grounds for Tehran-Beijing’s cooperation in the fields of media, scientific, art and religious activities.
As China is the host of the 29th Olympic Games which is to start in August, Mostafavi said he would hold talks during his visit with Chinese officials about carrying out some cultural activities by Iran in Beijing during the international sports event.
Commenting on the 60th anniversary of illegal establishment of the Zionist regime, Mostafavi said defending the absolute rights of the Palestinian people was the most important duty of world Muslims and Islamic countries.
He added that Islamic countries and nations shouldered a very important and sensitive responsibility at the present juncture.
According to the official, the present instability and weakness of the Zionist regime were resulted from the strong resistance of the Palestinian people against the illegal entity.
The Iranian official hoped that Islamic nations would witness a day when with the help of the freedom-seeking peoples, the occupation of the Zionist regime over the Palestine would come to its end.
Mostafavi is scheduled to hold talks with major Muslim figures of China, attend an inaugural ceremony for a cultural exhibition and meet with Chinese authors, artists and academics during his visit.
The Iranian official is also expected to meet with students and professors of Persian language at Beijing’s University.