Iran-China military co-op going strong since 1980s
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 14
By Emil Ilgar, Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
The Minister of National Defense of China Chang Wanquan’s ongoing three-day visit to Iran is aimed at expansion of military ties between Tehran and Beijing, a military expert told Trend.
Hossein Aryan, an Iranian UK-based military expert and a former officer of Iranian Navy, has said that the two countries seek expansion of military ties as they share strategic interests.
According to the expert, Iran has established military ties with China since the revolution of 1979 when the Islamic Republic was formed.
Saying that Iran received military aid from China during Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s, Aryan added that China continued to help Iran in military sphere after the war in developing missiles for navy warships.
Saying that the Islamic Republic has, in the past, purchased several missiles from China, including silkworm missiles, he said that Iran employed Chinese technology in making home-grown weapons, the expert noted.
Hossein Aryan believes that Iran needs China’s help in terms of receiving technology for developing its missile power.
The Iranian defense minister, Brigadier-General Hossein Dehqan and his visiting Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan Nov. 14 signed an agreement on the expansion of cooperation in defense sphere.
According to Iranian media reports, the agreement envisages exchanging military experience, particularly in training of personnel and cooperation in fight against terrorism.
In the meantime, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri has expressed his country’s readiness for carrying out joint military exercises with China.
