China hails ‘unprecedented’ military ties with Iran

China has strengthened its military ties with Iran to an “unprecedented” level as Beijing prepares for a possible showdown with Washington.

Both sides agreed to closer military cooperation on Wednesday when Wei Fenghe, China’s defence minister, met President Raisi in Tehran.

Wei is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Iran since the two sides signed a 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement last year to further improve bilateral ties. China’s state media has reported that both countries face “intensifying hostility” from the United States.

 “My visit is an important visit with the backdrop of a volatile global situation,” Wei told Raisi. “The Chinese army is willing to keep strategic communications with the Iranian side and to use the co-operation mechanism to promote pragmatic co-operation and elevate the relationship between the two armies to a higher level.”

Raisi thanked China for its support and assistance in times of difficulty and expressed his hope that the two nations could expand the scope of their co-operation, including militarily.

China, the world’s second-largest economy, views America as the biggest obstacle in its rise as a global superpower. As a result, its diplomatic efforts have been primarily driven by its US policy.

Beijing has allied with Moscow, while simultaneously building partnerships in Latin America and seeking a bigger role in the Middle East. Earlier this year, Beijing and the Gulf countries agreed to establish a strategic partnership and work on a free trade deal. China also announced plans to mediate between Iran and the Gulf nations.

Hua Liming, a former Chinese ambassador to Iran, told the party-run Global Times that China and Iran were becoming closer because of the US.

“Both China and Iran are targets of US hegemony. I think this is the most important common language between the two countries,” Hua said. He called China’s military communication and co-operation with Iran “unprecedented”.

Li Weijian, vice president of the Chinese Association of Middle East Studies, told the newspaper that Wei’s visit had come while the US continued to instigate regional tensions such as the Ukraine crisis.

Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute, Tsinghua University, said that Beijing and Tehran could strengthen counter-terrorism co-operation and enhance regional security and stability, the newspaper reported.