Interview: BRI epitome of collective cooperation for building favorable future: Tehran mayor

TEHRAN, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) makes a good example of collective cooperation for building a favorable future for nations, said Alireza Zakani, mayor of the Iranian capital of Tehran.

The initiative is a pioneering idea, a win-win game for all participating countries, said Zakani in an interview with Xinhua prior to his trip to China to participate in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) held on Oct. 17-18.

It is also an "accurate idea" that helps reduce both the time and expenses involved in trade transactions and transportation among participating countries, he said.

The mayor said the revival of the Silk Road and the trade route can help develop bonds and relations among nations and governments across continents, thereby creating a better future for the world.

Iran will continue to contribute to the initiative, as it advances development in partner countries and the solidarity among them, Zakani said.

The Tehran mayor warned, however, that the idea naturally has a number of opponents, who have a vested interest in keeping the same old order of Western colonialism and neocolonialism.

"The initiative's spillover will be the services with which people in Asia, Africa, and Europe will be provided. It will also help Asia return to its position in the process of constructing the world's future," Zakani said.

By June 2023, China had signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations across five continents.

The initiative promotes true multilateralism as well as equitable and just global governance through its core principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, Zakani added.

He applauded the efforts of the governments of Iran and China in maintaining and strengthening the bilateral ties and cooperation.

China and Iran, he said, are both ancient civilizations with a long history of friendly exchanges between their peoples, and the BRI provided new momentum in this long-lasting friendship.

In February 2014, Tehran and Beijing became sister cities, the mayor said, and the two cities have since carried out friendly exchanges and cooperation in such areas as urban management and infrastructure construction.

"We seek to work on this sisterhood in the best way possible and expand its practical aspects after 10 years," Zakani said.