Did Chinese minister really insult Pakistan in Iran?

Islamabad: China and Iran signed a 25-year cooperation agreement on Saturday to strengthen their long-standing economic and political alliance.

Pakistanis are expressing serious concern over the remarks allegedly made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ahead of the televised signing ceremony about Pakistan without naming China’s long time ally .

“Iran decides independently on its relations with other countries and is not like some countries that change their position with one phone call, ” Wang Yi  allegedly told Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. Many in Pakistan thought that their country was insulted by the Chinese minister at his meeting with his Iranian counterpart.

The statement was attributed to the Chinese foreign minister by Iran’s state -controlled media. Pakistanis skeptical of the Iranian media have rejected the remarks attributed to the Chinese delegation as incorrect.

A Reuters report headlined Iran and China sign 25-year cooperation agreement also clearly said that the quotes carried in the news article were actually taken from Iranian-state-run media.