China Wants Closer Defense Cooperation With Iran
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China wants to deepen military ties with Iran, a senior Chinese Admiral said Thursday after a meeting with Iran’s defense minister in Tehran.
Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army, told Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan that China paid great attention to developing relations with Iran, China’s Defense Ministry said.
“The aim of this delegation’s visit is to further promote friendship, deepen defense cooperation and exchange views with Iran on bi-lateral military ties and issues of mutual concern,” Sun said, according to the statement.
The trip will also “promote the preservation of international and regional peace and stability”, he added.
China and Iran have close diplomatic, economic, trade and energy ties, and China has been active in pushing both the United States and Iran to reach agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. And now is pursuing enhanced defense ties.
Under a multi-lateral deal, agreed in July, sanctions imposed by the US, EU and UN will be lifted in return for Iran agreeing to long-term curbs on a nuclear program that the West has suspected was aimed at creating a nuclear bomb.
Sun said that China, the biggest buyer of Iranian Crude Oil, was pleased that an accord was reached.
Last year, for the 1st time , 2 Chinese warships docked at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port to take part in a joint naval exercises in the Gulf and an Iranian Admiral was given tours of a Chinese submarine and warships.
Iran and Russia have both provided support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s civil war. China remains a low Key diplomatic player in the Middle East despite its dependence on the region’s Crude Oil. Beijing has repeatedly warned that military action cannot end the crisis in Syria and has called multiple times for talks and a political solution.
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Paul Ebeling
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