Iran Ready for Joint Military Drills with China: Top General
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri voiced the country’s willingness to hold joint military exercises with China, highlighting the resolve to develop “strategic relations” between Tehran and Beijing.
“The People's Republic of China and its armed forces are among our very good friends, and the Islamic Republic is fully prepared to expand and deepen defense and military cooperation between the two countries (and) stage joint military war games,” the senior Iranian commander said at a meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense General Chang Wanquan in Tehran on Monday.
Highlighting China’s “constructive role” in international developments, Major General Baqeri urged Beijing to keep countering the hegemonic powers and aggressive conducts by the global arrogance.
Referring to Iran and China’s determination to develop strategic ties, the top commander also emphasized the need for implementing a new military agreement, which he said will work as an agenda for military collaboration between the two countries.
General Wanquan, for his part, described the status of bilateral ties as promising, stressing that China will remain committed to the full implementation of the military deals with Iran.
Before the meeting, the Chinese defense minister and his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan signed an agreement on closer defense and military cooperation between Tehran and Beijing, sharing military experience, particularly in training, as well as combatting against terrorism and causes of regional insecurity.
Iran and China have close diplomatic, economic, trade and energy ties, and in recent years have developed their military relations as well.
In May 2014, the Iranian defense minister paid an official visit to China to negotiate mutual visits and personnel training cooperation between the two countries.
