Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing heading a delegation arrived at the Tehran-Mehrabad Airport and began the two-day formal visit to Iran at 9:30 am on November 6, 2004. Minister Li Zhaoxing was warmly welcomed by Chinese Ambassador Liu Zhentang to Iran, staff of the Chinese Embassy, Director General of the Department of Asia and the Pacific of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ansari and other officials.

Minister Li Zhaoxing held a talk with his Iranian counterpart Dr. Seyed Kamal Kharrazi in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the morning. Both sides attended the joint press conference after the meeting. At the press conference, both sides expressed satisfaction with the current China-Iran relations and the friendly and reciprocal cooperation between the two countries in areas such as politics, economy, trade, and culture. Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing also pointed out that Iran's nuclear problem should be appropriately solved within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and that he was opposed to submitting it to the Security Council of the United Nations.

Minister Li Zhaoxing also met separately with Iran's Supreme National Security Council Chief Rohani and the head of the Islamic Republic's Expediency Discernment Council, Iran's former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and exchanged opinions with them on bilateral relations development as well as international and regional issues to their common interest.

Iran's President Khatami met with Minister Li Zhaoxing and the delegation at his office in the evening. Khatami was satisfied with the current relations between China and Iran and expressed willingness to work with China to further deepen the bilateral relations. Khatami also asked Minister Li to convey his cordial greetings to Chinese President Hu Jintao. In addition, both sides exchanged ideas on the regional situation and the Iraq issue.

At noon Minster Li Zhaoxing went to the Chinese Embassy in Iran and visited the Embassy staff, representatives from Chinese invested agencies and of Chinese students in Iran and had a picture taken with them. In his address, he encouraged them to work hard and contribute to China-Iran relations.

In the morning of the 7th, Minister Li Zhaoxing and his delegation left Tehran for China, ending the two-day formal visit to Iran.