Tasnim � Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani hailed China�s success in containing the novel coronavirus and applauded the Asian country for assisting Iran in the fight against the infectious disease.

In a letter to his Chinese counterpart Li Zhanshu, Larijani congratulated China on its success in controlling COVID-19 and developing an �effective global pattern� to contain the disease.

He also expressed gratitude to the People�s Republic of China for providing Iran with medical and humanitarian aids amid the outbreak of the coronavirus and for helping curb the spread of the virus in Iran.

�Such supports have undoubtedly had a significant role in helping the process of containing and controlling the disease in my country,� Larijani added.

Highlighting the major role of Iran and China in regional and international developments, the Iranian speaker said, �Our common belief is that the expansion of friendly cooperation between the two sides in diverse fields is a strategic principle of the two countries� foreign policy.�

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif posted a message in the Chinese language on his Twitter account, lauding China for assisting the Islamic Republic in the fight against the novel coronavirus and for condemning the US sanctions against Tehran.

�I thank China for providing Iran with anti-epidemic materials and sending medical experts, condemning the continued illegal sanctions by the United States that seriously hindered Iran�s efforts to fight the epidemic,� said Zarif.

China has repeatedly denounced the US government�s sanctions on Iran amid the outbreak of the coronavirus and has shipped several consignments of medical supplies to Iran in recent weeks.