On Monday China and Iran agreed to deepen defense ties, according to Chinese state media. The announcement was made following a meeting between Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Dehqan.
According to Reuters, which quoted a report in Xinhua News Agency, China said that bilateral relations “remained positive and steady, featuring frequent high-level exchanges and deepened political mutual trust.” Reuters also quoted Chang as saying that he is personally “confident that the friendly relations between the two countries as well as the armed forces will be reinforced” as a result of “increased mutual visits and personnel training cooperation between the armed forces.”
According to an Iranian news report, Chang also said that China views Iran as a strategic partner. “Given Iran and China’s common views over many important political-security, regional and international issues, Beijing assumes Tehran as its strategic partner,” Chang was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency, which is viewed as having close ties with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps.
For his part, Dehqan said, “The age-old and historical relations between the two countries which date back to over 2,000 years ago are full of instances of cooperation in cultural, economic, industrial and technological arenas.” He also “voiced the hope that the two countries will continue to play a positive role in safeguarding regional peace and stability,” presumably referring to the Middle East and Central and South Asia.
More specifically, Dehqan was quoted by Fars as saying: “We can remove the two sides’ common security concerns over extremism, terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy by developing military cooperation.”
The meeting took place in Beijing. Dehqan arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a four-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chang. It is his first visit to China since becoming Iran’s defense minister.
In some ways, the announcement today represents something of a shift — and possible weakening — of the defense ties between China and Iran. Since the 1979 revolution severed Tehran’s ties to the U.S. and the Western world, Iran’s defense relationship with China has primarily centered on Beijing selling Tehran advanced defense technologies. As Dan Blumenthal noted in 2005, “Since the mid-1980s, China has sold Iran, in whole or in parts, different variants of anti-ship cruise missiles such as the Silkworm (HY-2), the C-801, and the C-802.” Blumenthal also noted, citing a Jane’s report, that “China is producing several classes of tactical guided missiles – the JJ/TL-6b and 10A, the KJ/TL-10B and a new variant of the C-107 anti-ship missile, specifically for Iran.”
China is also believed to have been integral to Iran’s development of ballistic missiles. Beijing’s assistance was especially crucial in helping Iran with precision guidance and solid-fueled rocket propulsion.
Although in recent years — particularly since the late 1990s — the Chinese government is believed to have scaled back its defense sales to Iran, private Chinese companies have continued assisting the Persian Gulf country. As recently as 2012, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence told Congress, “Chinese entities — primarily private companies and individuals — continue to supply a variety of missile-related items to multiple customers, including recent exports to Iran and Pakistan.” Indeed, the U.S. has repeatedly sanctioned Chinese companies and individuals for selling Iran defense technologies, including just last week.
Chang and Dehqan’s focus on personnel visits in their remarks might simply be a desire on both sides part to publicly downplay arms sales and defense technology transfers. At the same time, it could be a reflection that Iran’s increasingly capable domestic defense industry no longer requires substantial Chinese assistance. In the same vein, Iran is increasingly wary of China’s long-term intentions in its surrounding areas.
Still, Sino-Iranian relations have generally improved since the P5+1 countries and Iran signed an interim agreement last November. China’s oil imports from Iran during the first quarter of this year were up 36 percent from 2013. In a sign of future economic cooperation, last month Zhang Gaoli, a Politburo Standing Committee member and vice premier, met with Iranian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Ali Tayyeb-Nia. Tayyeb-Nia was visiting China in a bid to boost economies ties in various areas. He also met with China’s Finance Minister, Lou Jiwei, during the trip.
China is already Iran’s largest trading partner and oil customer. Iran is China’s third largest oil provider.
By seeing the title, let me predict what will happen in the coming weeks.
1. Japan, Philippine, Vietnam will be more vocal teasing and accuse China these and that.
2. More join military drills between US, Japan, Vietnam and Philippine. India may back off a bit because India leans toward Russia.
3. Gold will be slammed again. Oil will be slammed again. And more luxury taxes will be added to the vacant expensive houses Chinese have just bought in US and UK.
4. More weapons will be sold to Taiwan.
5. Hillary will be talking even more and loud on mainstream media.
6. More suppressive actions on RT and CCTV news and channels.
Nahhhhh...... Caleb's gonna win on American Idol and the eighth installment of Batman will start production
...The USSA will block the Straight of Mallaca stopping Iranian Oil shipments to China.
And to SK and Japan ?
South Korea Joins Japan in Oil Payments to IranWho runs Barter Town ?
Just when a big explosion in Iran happens?
They say no accidents...
Geopolitics is a bitch, and when you can't take it by coercion there's always the Samsom Option.
Oligarchs need to leave this world.
I ain't got time for this I need more info on Monica Lewinsky.
Oh God!!, not Hilary talking!! who will save us?
Maybe this will be enough for the US to elect a Republican who will go to war against Iran.
I have found out the secret of how to manipulate the price of gold down...
I buy gold - it goes down the very next day.
I will give a heads up before my next purchase so that you all can wait until the following day where I guarantee it will be at least 1% cheaper.
R U sure you bought gold ? or tungsten ? Asians bought all the gold already.
i'll just have to live in the belief. i couldn't live with oles in me gold.
could always melt it down into sinkers for fishing near the accident sites i suppose
That's all part of the plan to keep smashing you over and over until you give up on Gold completely, competition for the fiat currency is not appreciated.
It sure feels that way, it's a shame for them I'm not a competitive person. But if their idea of winning is to make PMs cheaper then I hope they come first place all the way.
I'm a sucker too cos I always back the loser, this time though I feel lucky so i'll keep betting.
the central banks are fighting DEEP, long deflation, coppper will hit 2300!
buffet baught metals in 2000 at 3 to 4$, hes sellling now.
coffee, chocolate and toilet paper is the barter if you think its armeggeddon.
gold will get confiscated or get yoour family killed.
Heaven forbid China has a "strategic partner." OH NOSSSSS!!!!!!!
I guess the implication is that we should all live in fear now.
BRICs teaming up with the 'axis of evil'? Alls fair in love and war, boys! Make no mistake about it - this ukraine hullabaloo has spawned an economic war with multiple countries interests on the line, and the u.s. started it. You see how 'evil' is so relative? Its meaning comes and goes, it changes form depending on your location in the world, and what newspaper article you happen to have in front of you. Its "terrorist state iran" vs "trading partner iran" in the printing press!
Im on the market for a good 30 ot 6 but I think the libertarians have gone and bought off all the good shotguns already. Is there a decent chinese made rifle around worth buyin?
So if China were to annex territory from Vietnam, Japan and The Philipinnes, in theory Iran could close the Straits of Hormuz, Russia could take half of Ukraine quite easily and control the Black Sea, in theory the western powers would be in quite a bind.
Bum Rush.
OK. So now I can say TRIAD ? Russia-China-Iran. Has 3 legs so has stability.
Here we go. BRIICS ?
If Iran has strong backing maybe they move West again into Iraq ? Like Russia-Ukraine ?
Quatro you left out North Korea.
Ah . . . another article, from the young pup neo cons at the Diplomat.
A number of nations have been working to move away from the US dollar. This includes the BRICS and it includes Iran (stupidly forced out by sanctions - backfired because they went around them by other means including using Turkey and gold for trade settlement.)
Jim Willie has spoken about the setting up of trade deals that go around the fiat US dollar. He also has spoken about how Iran fits into this.
As for the author's opinion that, somehow, the Iran - China relationship may be weakening - - - - what is that, wishful thinking ? Its definitely not based on any reality. And it contradicts the rest of the author's own article fer cryin' out loud ! Sheesh.
The following covers numerous issues including Iran and the new gloal trade frame work:
http://usawatchdog.com/dr-jim-willie-russia-may-want-gold-not-stinking-d...
I don't agree with everything that comes out of Jim Willie's mouth. But he has been spot on with the rise of an alternative money system, and with the fact that sanctions will serve to isolate the US and its allies, not the other way around.
This sure looks like full SCO membership is coming for Iran, and with the BRICS and SCO signed on for a new non-dollar, non-SWIFT, independent resource-based currency, I expect to wake up any day between now and Christmas to sheer panic on CNBC as the dollar ends its reign as the global reserve currency.
It can't happen soon enough. We can't get back the republic until the empire is dead, and it's the dollar as reserve currency and the petrodollar system that prop up the empire.
Think that is BRIICSaA now.
By my count 89 countries within Brazil,Russia India,IRAN,China,S. Africa, and Associates.
Man them Chinamen are advancing on all fronts.
I am fine with them stealing all the western IP that isn't nailed down, but stealing Capitalism?
I saw real, brand name Capitalism on Alibaba for like $49.95.
pods
"Kapitalism" is Verboten in USSA, Comrade!
Soon we will have a 100% Soviet Command Economy!
And yet the sheep just keep voting for it, over and over, red or blue , you are voting for the same monster.
pods Man them Chinamen are advancing on all fronts.
I am fine with them stealing all the western IP that isn't nailed down, but stealing Capitalism?
I saw real, brand name Capitalism on Alibaba for like $49.95.
pods
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Is it really a surprise with the up coming IPO of Ali Baba, which is muslim?
I keep saying that I wish China would take a more active role in world politics and defense, but if Iran is who they chose to do business with, then I guess I was wrong. There's a certain blindness to the Chinese brand of politics that makes a lot of western foolishness look good in comparison.
I'd take shia over sunni any day.
Jesus Christ.
It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do with killing the dollar. And it certainly has nothing to do with gold.
China consumes over 10 million barrels/day. They produce only 4.8 mbpd.
They HAVE to have the difference. A big chunk of it comes from Iran. Nothing more subtle or history relevant or philosophy relevant is going on.
China can't grow without oil. They seek to get it wherever they can, and fuck sanctions on Iranian oil.
It's always politics, the politics never go away. It's like the way the US used to prop up the military dictatorships in the banana republics. It was convenient. Amoral, in a lazy way.
In my little alternate histories, China allies with the US to occupy the oil-producing regions of Iran in the name of the UN or something. China gets their oil (and at a better price!) without propping up a loathsome and dangerous regime, until and unless we get a friendlier regime in Tehran. And some days, I think the same ought to happen on the Sunni side, too. Might even get Japan to contribute some Toyotas to the effort, bring Japan and China closer together, LOL.
Just my little alternative to blow jobs for oil.
It's a Big Oil Club, and the USSA / EU isn't in it.
Humility and begging helps - Nah, ain't gonna happen.
personally, I say we use Arizona as a giant solar farm state
who the fuck needs arizona otherwise?
Time to get off of the petrol teat. Humanity's advancement depends on innovation and alternatives.
I Write Code I keep saying that I wish China would take a more active role in world politics and defense, but if Iran is who they chose to do business with, then I guess I was wrong.
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You didn't think China wouldn't do business with Iran? After they have been aligning themselves with North Korea and Russia for years? Are you that retarded?
The problem with limited Western thinking of "Do as I say, not as I do," is that it deprives the USSA the opportunity to be a leader in what it once excelled at - trading and spreading influence through commerce and diplomacy. Instead, the USSA has slid down into a reactionary empire hellbent on maintaining its peripheries and vassal states through any sort of cover destabilization it can muster short of starting a world war. While China spreads its influence through commerce and development globally, the USSA spreads its influence through fear and militarism. Many criticisms can be lodged at China and at Iran (especially since I am not a fan of religion and fundamentalist brands of religion at that). However, what must also be understood is that how other countries choose to set up their societies is their business. Let's also not forget that the current Iranian regime is a direct result of the American Empire's meddling in that country during the Shah.
The global picture that we have is one in which wealth, and by logic its corollary, power, are leaving the Atlantic world, or "the West," into mostly East Asia and beyond. This was as much confirmed by James Wolfensohn, former president of the World Bank, during a speech to the Stanford Graduate School of Business, on January 11, 2010.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a0zhc1y_Ns
Translation: the brief and exceptional time period of unipolarity established in the post-1991 world and the financial model around it are crumbling as the world goes back to the historical constant of multipolarity. In effect, what unipolarity has shown is that monopolies are bad, because they lead to abuse. In this case, economically, the people in the US have gotten poorer, and the world has entered into a world wide depression with no end in sight. Having other centers of gravity can only lead to competition between powers versus one having "the way" and "the currency." It has lead to unholy wars resulting in loss of life and money domestically and in the countries directly harmed. It has resulted in a stagnant world. Just like monopolies are bad in the marketplace, they are also bad when it comes to concentration of power. The world is thus finding its equilibrium in which diffusion of power is the norm.
The danger to the world this represents is that, at any given moment the short-sighted infantile public servants that steer the ship of the empire may make a serious miscalculation and plunge the world into war. While historically, we have had rising, resurgent or revisionist powers (like Germany or Japan) try to upset the balance of the world order, here it is a little more complex. China can be seen as a resurgent/rising power. Will it challenge the established order? That remains to be seen. But will it do it now? Very unlikely until and unless it can secure its trade routes and its building of "the New Silk Road" as it connects the Eurasian landmass, much to the dismay of Brzezinski and his "Grand Chessboard" dreams. Will the US try to prevent itself from losing its top spot preemptively? It's times like these a playbook out of the neocons may be useful to the wielders of power. The question is, who is more desperate and who has more to lose?
Zachary Zeck, thanks for the NeoCon update, asshole.
Uh,Iran says something like the US carriers are sitting ducks and the next f***** day sign a defense pact in Beijing?
I wonder if an analytical person was deep frozen thirty years ago and recently defrosted,would they think the world has been doing some serious drugs?
When I was growing up at least two families on my street were making good blue collar salaries in the aerospace industry,patching up shot up planes from Indochina.Those blue collar jobs are gone and the competition for any decent salaried position is about to ratchet up significantly.They tried to get everyone in the tent with the housing bubble con,so now what are they going to do.Chinese buying up all sorts of real estate in the US and Canada? Seems sorta wierd.Do they see the death of fiat currency coming? I rather liked the old China,back when a fellow knew where he stood...
And what's with that Ginormous oil platform? Too,too much going on these days....
This country has been on drugs for a long time.
Once upon a time, America used to quietly partner with countries and leaders with which there was an economic incentive. It created jobs, profits, and increased safety and security. It left the leaders of those countries in place. Sort of like what China is doing today... Now America is just a global bully actively overturning governments and gaining none of the above benefits.
Once upon a time the US had Statesman who were generally respected worldwide for their ability to understand all sides of a dispute, now the US just has hack politicians who think they can bully other countries into doing what the US wants, which would not be too bad if what the US wanted was in the best interests of the world as a whole and not just a greedy worldwide corporate power grab by bought and paid for politicians.
Good luck with that.
Amerika calls Israeal a strategic partner.
2 can play that game.
Eat shit China.
America is Israel's attack poodle.
I wonder if China has nuclear missiles already installed in Iran for some time? Or have a system in place where they can do it quickly if required.
With Israel I think Iran having missiles will produce a MAD stand off and keep Israel from attacking Iran.
Kina With Israel I think Iran having missiles will produce a MAD stand off and keep Israel from attacking Iran.
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I think you are wrong. DEAD wrong. Israel has had nukes they could have used at any time, but haven't. They have never verbally threatened to do so. Iran, on the other hand has so. Thus, that drives Israel to strike Iran to prevent or eliminate Iran's nuclear capability.
If Iran was smart, it would stop it's (Kill all infidels and destroy Israel) rhetoric, and develop nuclear weapons secretly. Then do a surprise attack. Instead, by constantly threatening western nations, Iran gives Israel an excuse to attack.
This is different from a MAD standoff because it is religiously ideologically driven. A true extremists of Islam is willing to die to kill infidels, thus all the suicide bombers.That is different from the MAD standoff of past between the US and the Soviet Union.
Four paragraphs of utter shite. Please try again.
Two ancient cultures versus one community organizer.
I just 'love' seeing Jen Psaki warning China about setting up their oil platform in the Sth China Sea.
Honestly, that woman looks like she is speaking to Pre-Schoolers.
She looks like she is a Teachers Aide to Pre-Schoolers.
Do you Americans honestly think anyone takes her diatribe seriously? I know when she speaks my 3 year old takes notice then poops his knickers.
The great ideological divide line began with Q-Daffy murder.
As Saladin was known to have said during the Crusades --and he was recognised by friend and foe as being a man of honour --- "we kings do not kill other kings, who are symbols of civilization. We kill their minions "ethnic cleansers", like the Templar and Hospitaller militia who pilfer our pilgrims on Hajj and rape their womenfolk."
He said this to his rival in chains, king of Jerusalem Guy de Lusignan, at the battle of Hattin which led to the subsequent capture of Jerusalem in 1187. He kept King Lusignan in captivity and put the Templars and Hostpitaller to the rack for their continual rape of peasants in name of "God wills it".
Now fast forward; the West did not apply that rule to Q-daffy, they transgressed it. If they wanted to settle their accounts with Q-daffy for Lockerbee etc. they should have given him a public trial instead of shooting him on sight.
Putin picked up the gauntlet of that brutal regime change, which clearly showed that in spite of what he said, the Obama regime mindset was the SAME as that of GWB in its Iraq/Saddam sodomisation rampage. USA neo-cons still ran the foreign policy shooting match.
So the cold war that was simmering under the carpet of G8 camaraderie, during this unending financial crisis of US hubris making, became open and conflictual right there.
THE MASKS WERE OFF AND PUTIN DREW THE LINE IN SYRIA/IRAN AND NOW IN UKRAINE.
(That it should come to that and that the West be now lower in its ethical values than a Communist party led China or a neo-Romanov feudal Russia... says it all about where we ARE as civilization.)
AND THE GREAT GAME IS BACK ON, like during the Cuban Crisis years; before Aldous Huxley day.
We are now heading to the ideological fault line of fracture becoming visible on all continents. From E. Europe to Africa to ME to South East Asia.
The upcoming elections in India and the situation in Pakistan also constitute in the coming years (months?) the same global fault line, as does the situation after election in Afghan.
The world is now polarising fast ALONG THE THREE THREADS OF PAX AMERICANA'S UNILATERAL CONCOCTION, SINCE REAGANOMICS RATCHETED UP THIS CURRENT NWO HEGEMONIAL CONSTRUCT :
1° OIL and Gas tug of war between empires as our economy just lives on that vital economic life source.
2° Petrodollar hegemony and dystopian Madoff style FED fed fiat unending cheap money PONZI, and rival schemes to replace it.
3° Big Stick arms race; which will hotten up around asymmetric wars involving proxy/surrogate "dogs of war" mercenary plays-- is NAM next? -- like Syria, Ukraine; as before Pak/Afghan, Iraq, Darfour/Sudan, Somalia-- the list is endless. And, now all these empire plays will involve cyber wars and drone clones to replace combat fatigued soldiers suffering from combat stress disorder syndrome.
What a world, where the Antarctic is now melting and will raise the level of the Seas by 10 feet...
Some people have a strange sense of priorities.
Twerking anyone? While the Bush and Clinton cabals jerk off the whole world!
Nice post, FP.
Yes, the Russian Fedration figured out Bath House is a maniacal, psychotic serial killer who like his job
"If they [the West] wanted to settle their accounts with Q-daffy for Lockerbee etc. they should have given him a public trial instead of shooting him on sight."
Yeahbut ... The Colonel knew too much. Dead people don't talk.
MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Pacific Fleet and the Chinese navy will conduct a joint large-scale cooperative training exercise scheduled for mid-May, a military spokesman told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
“In the middle of May, Russian ships will head towards Shanghai, where they are to take part in the large-scale Naval Cooperation-2014 drill with the navy of China’s People’s Liberation Army, to take place in the South China Sea,” said Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov.
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France to Join Fight Against Nigerian Islamist TerroristsMOSCOW, May 8 (RIA Novosti) – The office of French President Francois Hollande announced Wednesday plans to send security service agents to Nigeria to combat the Islamist Boko Haram terrorist group, joining US military personnel and UK government staff, Reuters has reported.
“The president expressed his desire to increase intelligence cooperation with Nigeria, involving all regional countries, so that this terrorist group can no longer carry out such acts,” said a statement on Hollande's telephone conversation with Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan.
Hollande promised Paris would dispatch a special team to Abuja to help find more than 200 kidnapped girls.
With more than 4,000 troops operating between Mali and the Central African Republic, France is the second European nation to act on the threat to Nigeria’s security. Britain is to join the effort by sending a team to Nigeria to help with the search, according to Downing Street.
"Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Bolivia and Venezuela have announced Joint Drill. Other non-aligned countries are petitioning to be added, Germany being a surprise candidate."
BRICS + I
Looks like the teams have been chosen and the game is about to start.
It's not too difficult to see how Russia, parts of the Middle East, Asia and Central Asia are polarising away from the West.
They've had a belly full of dictats from Washington and Westminster.
No one can honestly deny that this has been 100% caused by Western governments, now run by criminals.