Iran’s new supreme leader shares his late father’s “positive” view of relations with China, Tehran’s ambassador told a security forum in Beijing.
Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli also suggested that while Tehran would charge “service fees” for vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, China might receive “special” treatment because it was a “friendly” nation.
“[Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s] view, as well as that of our martyred leader, regarding Iran’s relationship with China has been positive, active and supportive,” Fazli told the World Peace Forum at the weekend.
Khamenei became the supreme leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an air strike on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The 56-year-old was named as his father’s successor in March, but has yet to make an appearance or speak in public. He has not even been seen at his father’s funeral – fuelling questions about his health and who is now running Iran.
Tehran has confirmed that the younger Khamenei was wounded in the attacks, which also killed his wife and son, but has denied reports that he had been disfigured or disabled.