BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that the Chinese side stands ready to join Iran and the rest of the international community in boosting anti-pandemic cooperation and achieving the ultimate victory over COVID-19.

Xi made the remarks during a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi expressed his sincere sympathy with and firm support for the Iranian government and people who are fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, saying that the two countries, by helping each other and sharing weal and woe, have fully demonstrated the deep friendship between the two countries and their peoples in the battle against the disease.

The Chinese people, said Xi, always concern about the Iranian people's epidemic fight, adding that the country has sent to the Iranian side several batches of anti-epidemic materials and its first team of experts to foreign countries.

He also said that the Chinese side stands ready to continue working with Iran in enhancing cooperation to battle the epidemic, share related experience, and offer help within China's ability, adding that he believes that the Iranian people, under the leadership of Rouhani, will score the victory over the virus at an early date.

Xi stressed that in the face of the global public health emergency, the international community can only form a concerted drive to win over the epidemic by strengthening coordination and cooperation, saying that unilateral sanctions only hinder the efforts of Iran and the international community to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chinese side firmly supports the development of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, and Iran's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, said Xi, adding that the Chinese side stands ready to join Iran and the rest of the international community in boosting anti-pandemic cooperation, so as to achieve the ultimate victory over the disease and contribute to the preservation of the world's public health security.

Rouhani, for his part, said he is delighted to see China's success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, and its anti-virus experience is worth learning from by other countries.

In the face of the pandemic, Iran and China have been supporting each other and the friendship between peoples of the two countries has been deepened, Rouhani said.

The Iranian side is deeply grateful to China for its timely offering of precious material supplies to the Iranian people's pandemic fight, he said, noting that his country is ready to strengthen cooperation in the field of health and other areas, and further develop the bilateral strategic partnership.

Under the current situation, the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran should be lifted immediately, Rouhani said, noting that Iran hopes to work with other countries in jointly safeguarding multilateralism and defending international fairness and justice as well as the legitimate rights of Iran.  ■