Wang Yi reaffirmed the strength of bilateral relations in opening remarks at the beginning of talks with Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The Iranian minister’s visit follows a trip to close ally Russia and comes just after the first-ever drills among the navies of the three countries in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.

“We need to stand together against unilateralism and bullying practices,” Wang said.

China was a signatory to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and has strongly criticized the US for abandoning it in favor of a campaign of heightened diplomatic and economic pressure.

He said China will firmly safeguard international fairness and justice and promote the political solution to the Iran nuclear issue.

“The Chinese side supports all constructive efforts that help ease the current tension and uphold the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” Wang said.

He said the United States has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal and taken a maximum pressure tactic against Iran, which was to blame for the current tension of the Iran nuclear issue.

China will firmly defend international fairness and justice, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and work to promote a political and diplomatic settlement of the Iran nuclear issue, Wang said.

Without directly mentioning the US, Wang said China and Iran would stand up for their national interests as well as “uphold multilateralism and norms governing international relations.”

Zarif responded that the two countries were united in, “common effort to fight unilateralism and to promote multilateralism” in 2020.

Speaking highly of the important role China has played in safeguarding the Iran nuclear deal, Zarif said the Iranian side is willing to work with the Chinese side to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level.

“We need to keep up regular bilateral consultations on a variety of issues and this trip serves that purpose,” he added.

Zarif further hailed China for supporting Iran’s stance on the international stage.

The 2015 deal between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. The US withdrew from the accord in 2018 and imposed crippling economic sanctions that block Iran from selling crude oil abroad.

In response to the US sanctions, Iran has pressured the European signatories to find a way to limit the impact on the Iranian economy. Tehran has slowly decreased its compliance with the terms of the deal a year after the US withdrawal.

Iran’s moves have been condemned by Western governments as unwelcome and escalating tensions in the region, while Russia and China have repeatedly blamed the US.

The four-day naval exercise, launched from the southeastern port city of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, underscores the informal alliance among China, Iran, and Russia in the face of President Donald Trump’s moves to withdraw the US from international agreements.

AP, Xinhua and Press TV contributed to this story.