Iran, China discuss military issues

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 5

By Umid Niayesh - Trend:

Senior Iranian delegation is in Beijing to discuss military cooperation issues with Chinese officials.

Iranian delegation headed by the country's defense minister, Hossein Dehghan arrived in China on May 4, Iran's Mehr news agency reported on May 5.

The two sides stressed expansion of mutual military and security cooperation between the two countries during a meeting on May 5.

The two ministers met following the official reception for Iran's defense minister by his Chinese counterpart, Chang Wanquan.

The ministers also discussed regional and global issues, according to the report.

Dehghan underlined that the two countries can expand their military cooperation to eliminate "common concerns on extremism, terrorism, trafficking and piracy."

"A powerful China secures the global peace and security, and powerful Iran is a guarantor of peace, stability and sustainable security in the strategic Gulf region and the Middle East," Dehghan noted.

The Chinese defense minister in his turn called Iran China's strategic ally, underlining that the two countries share joint viewpoints towards the security-political issues as well as regional and global topics.

Wanquan expressed hope that the Iranian delegation's visit will lead to expanding bilateral military cooperation.

China is believed to have helped Iran in various military fields including conduct training of high-level officials on advanced systems, provide technical support, supply steel for missile construction, provide control technology for missile development, build a missile factory and test range.