News-Middle East: China has offered congratulations to Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi on his inauguration as Iran's new president, predicting that, under his watch, the Islamic Republic will make “greater progress” in socio-economic development.

"We believe that under the leadership of President Ebrahim Raeisi, Iran will achieve greater progress in nation-building and socio-economic development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement on Friday.

The statement was released a day after Raeisi took an oath of office in aninauguration ceremony at the Iranian Parliament (Majlis), which was attended by high-ranking Iranian civil and military officials as well as a great number of foreign dignitaries from more than 80 countries.

On Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution officially endorsed Raeisi’s mandate as Iran’s new president through a ceremony at Imam Khomeini Hosseiniyeh in Tehran.

Raeisi garnered almost 62 percent of the votes in the June 18 presidential election with a turnout of 48.8 percent.

Following Raeis’s election victory, Chinese President Xi Jinping extended his felicitations and described Iran and China as “comprehensive strategic partners.”

“I attach great importance to the development of China-Iran relations,” Xi said, expressing his willingness to work with Raeisi in order to strengthen strategic communication, consolidate mutual political trust, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

Elsewhere in her statement, Hua hailed the traditional friendship between Tehran and Beijing and called for deepening of bilateral relations.

"China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners. China attaches great importance to developing bilateral relations and stands ready to work with Iran to take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year to elevate bilateral relations to a new level," she said.