Iran, China to strengthen defense cooperation
Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has called Iran a strategic partner of China, saying the two countries will witness close defense cooperation in the future.
In a meeting with Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan in Beijing on Monday, General Chang said exchanges of visits and consultations between the two countries’ senior military officials will help boost defense cooperation.
He expressed satisfaction over the Iranian defense minister’s trip to China and said the excursion has provided a good opportunity to enhance bilateral defense ties.
Dehqan called for closer ties between the two countries, specifically in the military, defense, and security spheres.
He went on to say that extremism and terrorism are two serious challenges facing the world.
Dehqan added that the proposal made by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at last year’s annual United Nations meeting proved that Iran is serious about tackling those challenges.
During his address at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2013, Rouhani called for a “world against violence and extremism.”
In December, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the proposal, entitled The World against Violence and Extremism (WAVE).
Cooperation can help campaigns against terrorism, drug smuggling
The Iranian defense minister also said that Iran and China can allay the concerns about issues such as extremism, terrorism, drug smuggling, and piracy through the expansion of their military cooperation.
A high-ranking Iranian defense delegation, headed by Dehqan, arrived in Beijing on Sunday. The visit is being made at the invitation of the Chinese defense minister.