Iran, China agree to bolster military, defense ties

By Mustafa Melih Ahishali

TEHRAN

Iran and China on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at bolstering military and defense cooperation and exchanging expertise in the field of counter-terrorism, according to the Iranian Defense Ministry’s website.

Defense Minister Hussein Dahkan on Monday received Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan at the ministry’s official headquarters in Tehran, where the two men signed the MoU following a closed-door meeting, the website reported.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Dahkan asserted that bolstering long-term military and defense cooperation with China was among the Islamic republic’s top priorities.

Dahkan also voiced his country’s hope that Wanquan’s visit would be a "turning point" in the two countries’ military and defense relations, noting that he had also discussed recent regional developments with his Chinese counterpart.

Wanquan, for his part, likewise voiced hope that Monday’s MoU would lead to improved bilateral ties in the military and defense fields.

Beijing and Tehran, he asserted, shared a "common vision" of the region, which, he said, provided an opportunity for improved relations between the two countries.

According to a Monday report on Iranian state television, Iran and China also agreed to conduct joint military exercises soon with a view to contributing to the international fight against terrorism.

The two countries, the report noted, both sought to create "the necessary impetus for countering the scourge of terrorism".

In a related development earlier the same day, a Russian lawmaker said that his country was currently in talks with Iran for the sale of some $10 billion worth of weapons and military equipment, including tanks, helicopters and warplanes.