Thread by @IranChinaGuy

#China and #Iran have agreed to expand their military ties. Of course, Fox News and the usual suspects are sounding the alarm. What does that mean, and is there anything noteworthy here?

The short version? No, not much. Here’s why…

#IranChina

english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-ea…

First, this is nothing new. Chinese military have visited Iran before. They ALREADY cooperate by holding joint military exercises and collaborating on international crime, like drug trafficking and terrorism. China also does this with Saudi Arabia and other ME countries.

They’re likely to continue to deepen these ties, but they’re not particularly strategic or significant. That’s exactly what Bagheri said they’re doing, “expand bilateral cooperation in joint military drills, exchange of strategies, training issues and other common fields”.

The visit is meant to show strength, and both sides will talk about countering the US military and hegemony and so forth, but they’re talking about very modest cooperation in reality.

Of course that won’t stop the war hawks and their sky is falling routine.

As I’ve argued elsewhere, Sino-Iranian cooperation at the present moment is modest, limited, and basically being raised to the level of China’s relations with other ME countries. For more see my articles in @Diplomat_APAC

thediplomat.com/2021/04/china-…

And this

thediplomat.com/2022/01/china-…