Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will pay an official visit to China next week to discuss mutual ties and the nuclear agreement of July 14 between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

The Iranian foreign minister will visit Beijing on September 15 upon the official invitation of China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular press conference on Friday.

“We hope to have an exchange of views with the Iranian side on deepening China-Iran relations and enhancing all-round cooperation under the new circumstances,” the Chinese spokesman said.

He added that the two sides are to discuss the implementation of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

China and Iran have always maintained close diplomatic, economic, trade and energy ties.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a member of the P5+1 group, China has always expressed support for Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities and opposed unilateral sanctions imposed on Tehran by the United States and the European Union.

Beijing has also repeatedly highlighted its active role in the achievement of the nuclear agreement.

On July 14, Iran and the P5+1 countries – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany – finalized the text of the JCPOA in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial bans against the Islamic Republic.

News of Zarif’s planned visit to Beijing came a day after the US Senate Democrats blocked a Republican resolution to reject the JCPOA, ensuring that the historic agreement can be implemented without President Barack Obama having to use his veto power.

On Thursday, the senators voted 58-42 to bring to the floor a resolution disapproving the Vienna nuclear agreement. That was two votes short of the 60 votes Republican leaders needed to approve the bill.

Russian president’s planned visit to Iran

Meanwhile, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is also scheduled to make a visit to Iran before the end of the current Iranian year, which ends on March 19.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour said on Friday that talks are currently underway for Putin’s trip. “However, no date has yet been set for the trip,” he said.