Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that Iran and China should plan to expand cooperation based on long-term goals, IRNA reported.
Larijani, who is on a visit to China, in a meeting with a senior member of China's State Council Yang Jiechi hailed economic relations between the two countries, calling for promotion of bilateral ties in all fields.
Iran will never forget China's help amid unilateral Western sanctions, Larijani said, urging both countries to remove certain obstacles on the way of boosting bilateral ties through dialogue.
The Iranian Majlis speaker also called for presence of Chinese companies in Iranian oil projects.
He underlined the need for banking cooperation between Iran and China to facilitate contacts between the two nations as some Iranian banks want to open branches in China.
The Chinese official, for his part, hailed Iran's influential role in the Middle East, saying, Iran has a special place in China's foreign policy.
Yang praised Larijani's speech earlier in the day to a gathering of university students and professors at Beijing Foreign Studies University, saying the Iranian speaker has made much effort to enhance Tehran-Beijing relations and his visit to Beijing is a chance to be seized by both countries.
He further said he would pursue Iranian banks' demand to open branches in China.
Ali Larijani arrived in China on Tuesday heading a high-ranking delegation on a four-day visit at the invitation of chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress Zhan De Jiang.
He is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.