US & GLOBAL: In the last moments of the Israel-Iran controversy, there can be no surreptitious arrival at acknowledging Iran's current connection to China. Today, the Chinese government states that its support for Iran will last, into perpetuity, following the Iran attack on Israel. According to recent reports, there has been very minimal information indicating that it is President Xi who has situated the China and the Chinese military in position to defend Iran in war against Israel, US, UK and other allies partnered with NATO.
By Anne M Erbynstein
Since its 1979 revolution, Iran’s military ties with China have evolved through different phases. During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, Tehran was heavily dependent on Beijing as its primary source of weaponry. Iran purchased warplanes, tanks, and missiles from China. After the war ended in 1988, arms transfers between the two countries decreased significantly.
Cooperation between China and Iran does not arrive, in this seemingly burgeoning world war era, as a nuance. In the 1990s, as the Chinese government and economy shifted toward technology, the nature of military ties shifted toward technological transfers. Iran began reverse-engineering Chinese weaponry, including anti-ship cruise missiles. By the 21st century, Iran claimed it could produce many of its own arms, rockets, drones, and missiles, achieving a high degree of self-sufficiency in weapon production.
When a strategic cooperation and 25-Year agreement was signed in the mid-2010s, the relationship transitioned to joint military drills and broader strategic cooperation. Both countries collaborated on maritime operations, counterterrorism, piracy, and search and rescue operations.
In 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed an official 25-year strategic agreement. This agreement aimed to secure China’s access to imported oil for its military and industries while ensuring that Iran would not support the restive Muslim population in western Xinjiang.
The strategic agreement was signed between Tehran and Beijing in 20211. Shared interests and transactional relationship are a common events between China and Iran. Both nations interests are centered around countering U.S. influence and challenging the Western-dominated global order. However, their relationship remains more of a marriage of convenience and is largely transactional.
While both countries cooperate, their ideological differences persist, and their collaboration is driven by pragmatic considerations rather than deep sympathies. Economically, China is Iran’s top trading partner and a leading energy importer. Their military ties continue with semiregular engagements such as high-level military exchanges, exercises, and port calls.
In regard to the optimum significance in China’s relationship with Iran, it is not necessarily China's most important in the region today, nonetheless, Iran still considers China a crucial partner.
While China and Iran maintain military ties and strategic cooperation are appearing to be a primary cause for both countries, the relationship remains complex and multifaceted. President Xi’s actions are influenced by a mix of economic interests, geopolitical considerations, and pragmatic cooperation.
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