Li Changchun, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Tuesday visited the Confucius Institute at Tehran University, where he encouraged the Iranian students to constantly improve their Chinese level and become professional translators to make contributions to bilateral relations.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, told the Iranian students in the institute that he was moved by their strong interest in learning Chinese.

While presenting some Chinese culture-experiencing equipment and books to the institute, Li, who is on an official visit to Iran, said he hopes the institute can use these books and equipment to promote its Chinese-teaching capacities.

President of Tehran University Farhad Rahbar said the Confucius Institute has been playing a very important role in promoting Chinese teaching in Iran and boosting bilateral cultural cooperation, adding that the university is willing to further boost cultural and educational cooperation between the two countries.

Li also watched performances about Chinese martial arts, poetry recitation and Chinese lion dance by the Iranian students in the Confucius Institute.

After visiting Confucius Institute at Tehran University, Li went to the site of Metro line 4 in Tehran, which was jointly constructed by Iran and China.

Li said the operation of the Metro line 4 is a product of the bilateral economic and trade exchanges, and he hopes that with joint efforts by the two sides the Metro line 4 can be turned into a line of friendship and cooperation between the two sides.

"I hope more achievements about our cooperation can be acquired in the future," he added.

The Confucius Institute, the first in Iran, is co-founded by Yunnan University of China and Tehran University. It was officially opened in Tehran on Jan. 1, 2009.

Iran is the last leg of Li's four-nation tour which has taken him to Estonia, Montenegro and Ireland.