Senior Commander: Iran, China to Further Reinvigorate Military Ties

“Iran and China enjoy common positions and we want to expand our military ties like economic relations,” Head of the Services and Joint Affairs of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said in a meeting with the deputy chief of staff of the Chinese army in Tehran on Wednesday.

“We share similar positions on the US unilateralism and we are seeking formation of an Asian structure and development of the Shanghai Treaty,” he added.

General Baqeri said that Tehran and Beijing also have identical views on the necessity of fight against terrorism and extremism and restoration of stability in Syria and Iraq.

Iranian and Chinese officials in a meeting in Moscow in April underlined the two countries’ determination to further strengthen military relations.

“Iran and China have enjoyed good relations since long ago and the Iranian Armed Forces are our good friends,” Chinese Defense Minister General Chang Wanquan said in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan on the sidelines of the Fourth International Security Meeting.

“The current conditions in the world necessitate strengthening and consolidating bilateral and multilateral defense and military cooperation,” he added.

Chang also underscored the necessity for implementation of defensive agreements signed by the two countries.

Dehqan, for his part, pointed to Iran and China’s highly successful experience in defensive cooperation, and said the two countries’ determination to deepen cooperation can further reinvigorate their bonds and relations.

Iran and China have expanded relations in different trade, economic, military and scientific fields in recent years.

Also, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced in October that the Chinese navy officials were much willing to enhance mutual cooperation with Iran.

Speaking to reporters on after his meeting with Chang Wanquan, Sayyari said that the Chinese military favors to expand naval ties with Iran.

“Both sides underlined the need to promote military and naval cooperation,” he noted.

Also in September, a detachment of China’s fleet of warships docked in Iran’s territorial waters in the Southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

It was the first time that a Chinese flotilla sailed and berthed in Iran’s territorial waters.

An Iranian flotilla was in the Sea of China in 2013 to deliver Iran’s message of peace and friendship to the Chinese.