China and Iran set to step up security cooperation
Defence minister keen to see the countries working together more closely
China and Iran have vowed to step up defence cooperation, including more military drills, as the two countries move closer together under growing pressure from the United States.
In a meeting with Defence Minister Wei Fenghe on Wednesday, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, said the two nations would work together on military training and exchange of knowledge, the Fars News Agency reported.
Wei was visiting Tehran where he also met President Ebrahim Raisi and described his trip as taking place against the backdrop of the “current turbulent international situation”.
“The trip reflects the importance of China-Iran relations and firm mutual support and joint progress,” Wei said, according to a defence ministry statement.
“The Chinese military is willing to maintain strategic communication with the Iranian side, make good use of the cooperation mechanism, and promote practical cooperation, so as to push the relationship between the two militaries to a higher level.”
Beijing’s position on the war in Ukraine and refusal to condemn Russia has become a new ground for China-US tensions, in addition to disputes over human rights, the trade war, the South China Sea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xijiang.
Meanwhile, Tehran is pushing the US to remove the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation, while talks are continuing to restore a 2015 nuclear deal that would lift sanctions on Iran.
Moscow last month said it had obtained a guarantee from the US that Western sanctions on Russia over Ukraine would not affect cooperation with Iran within the framework of the 2015 deal.
Both China and Iran have built close ties with Russia.
Beijing has deemed its relationship with Moscow a “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination”, while Iran has sought support in negotiating the nuclear deal.
Tehran is also reportedly seeking to buy arms from Russia, such as Sukhoi-5 fighter jets and the S-400 missile defence system.
Iran has said it opposes the war in Ukraine but argues Nato’s activities are partly responsible – a position shared with China.
The Ukraine war has made it more imperative for China to seek closer alignment with countries seen by the US as enemies and rivals, according to Chinese diplomatic and military experts.
Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Beijing’s Renmin University, said it was natural for China to step up ties with Iran following the signing of a 25-year economic and security cooperation agreement between the two nations in March last year.
“China and Iran share a similar pro-Russia stance on Ukraine and they have conducted three naval drills with Russia since 2019. They obviously want to strengthen and substantiate their comprehensive strategic partnership,” Shi said.
“The Ukraine war has accelerated the emergence of a bipolar world order. Beijing has largely followed Moscow and edged closer to Tehran on talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.”
But Shi said China was aware of concerns from the US, and would remain cautious in pursuing closer ties with Iran.
Ni Lexiong, a Shanghai-based military analyst, said Wei’s Iran trip was part of China’s efforts to gain leverage over the US by teaming up with its opponents during the Ukraine war.
Ni said China was worried about the possibility of a Russian defeat because that would mean Moscow would be unlikely to help counter the US and its allies, while Washington had made it clear that Beijing was its next target.
“China’s delivery of anti-aircraft missile systems to Serbia and the defence minister’s Iran visit can be seen as symbolic messages to the US,” Ni said. “China is about to make a final decision on the Ukraine war and it is possible that China may eventually take Russia’s side if Washington puts too much pressure on Beijing.”
He said China’s cooperation with Iran was likely to cover energy; missiles, drones and other weapons; defence technology; and nuclear energy.