MNA � In a tweet on Sunday, Secretary of Iran�s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani wrote that the west is in favor of avoiding Iran from developing ties with the eastern countries.

"Preventing Iran's strategic cooperation with the East and the continuation of the national economy's dependence on oil is the basis of the West's political stance towards our country," he tweeted.

"Iran has been moving towards the two targets [ i.e. developing Eastern ties and reducing reliance oil revenues] and will overcome the current challenges via active resistance and national solidarity," he added.

Shamkhani's tweet came while Iran has been focused on the expansion of its long-term ties with its eastern allies including China and Russia.

The New York Times in a July 11 article, �Defying U.S., China, and Iran Near Trade and Military Partnership�, described the comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran and China for the next 25 years as a move that undermines the anti-Iranian measures by the Trump�s administration.

In addition, experts also admit that Americans do not want either Iran or Russia to appear as regional powers and they do not want Tehran and Moscow as partners.

Iran is also paying specific attention to the improvement of its relations, in particular economic ties, with its neighbors in a bid to increase non-oil products exports to them and reduce reliance on oil revenues.