Iran, China vow tighter ties as Xi visits

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday hailed a "new chapter" in relations with China after talks with President Xi Jinping, who is touring the region to boost Beijing's economic influence. The Asian giant and the Middle East's foremost Shiite power aim to build economic ties worth up to $600 billion within the next 10 years, Rouhani announced. The two leaders oversaw the signing of 17 agreements in areas including politics, the economy, security and cooperation on peaceful nuclear energy.