Chinese admiral calls for closer defense ties with Iran

Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of China’s People’s Liberation Army during the fourth plenary session of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, May 31, 2015. Sun Jianguo elaborated on China’s foreign and defense policies. (Xinhua/Bao Xuelin)

Sun Jianguo, a senior Chinese admiral, said that China wants to strengthen military ties with Iran. Last Thursday during a visit to Tehran, Sun made the remarks to Iranian defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. This comes three months after Tehran sealed a deal with world powers over its nuclear program.

He noted that that he hopes to continue pushing forward military relations between the two countries. Sun’s visit was to “enhance friendship, deepen cooperation and exchange views on issues of mutual interest to the two militaries”, the Chinese ministry said.

On his side, Dehghan also hoped to strengthen “strategic cooperation between both countries,” according to an Iranian defense ministry statement.

“Developing military relations between both countries will reinforce stability and security on either ends of the Asian continent,” he said.

China is Iran’s largest petroleum buyer, and the United States threatened to punish it for its purchases as Tehran was locked in a standoff with the international community over its nuclear program, amid fears it could develop atomic weapons, according to AFP reports.

Beijing contributed to brokering a July deal that will lift crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.

Iran’s navy chief Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayari called for Tehran and Beijing to cooperate to protect shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, Iranian broadcaster Press TV reported.

The Chinese and Iranian navies have exchanged port calls at least twice since 2013 and the countries have conducted joint anti-piracy and search-and-rescue exercises.

The countries, Press TV said, also discussed intelligence sharing and counter-terror cooperation, an increasing concern for China as it faces unrest among its Uighur Muslim population.

This comes after Iran made a couple of unexpected broadcasts of underground tunnel packed with missiles and launcher units, which officials said could be used if “enemies make a mistake”. Iranian officials have said the nuclear agreement will not affect its military forces, particularly its ballistic missile program.