Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

China and Iran strengthen cooperation amid Western pressure

China and Iran strengthen cooperation amid Western pressure

China expressed support for Iran during a visit on Tuesday by its president, Ebrahim Raisi, as Tehran tries to strengthen its relations with Beijing and Moscow to offset Western sanctions over its nuclear development.

In a statement, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "China supports Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty" and "resisting unilateralism and bullying," a comment aimed at criticising Washington's domination of global affairs.


Outcomes of the meeting


Surrounded by a cohort of ministers, the two leaders renewed their vows of friendship and expressed their intention to further deepen economic and trade ties between their respective countries.

Both want to continue along the path initiated last September at the Samarkand summit, where Tehran submitted its application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, to which countries such as China, Russia, Pakistan and India belong.

Xi and Raisi attended the signing of 20 cooperation agreements including trade and tourism, the Chinese government announced.

These add to a 25-year strategy agreement signed in 2021 to cooperate in developing oil, industry and other fields. China is one of the biggest buyers of Iranian oil.


Russia


Both China and Iran are also linked by their relations with Russia, although in a very different way. While Tehran supplies weapons and drones to the Russian Army, Beijing defends Ukraine's sovereignty, although it claims to understand the reasons that pushed Moscow to invade that country.

There is no indication in the official Chinese account of the meeting, however, as to whether Xi and Raisi discussed Russia's attack on Ukraine.


Tied by Western criticism


The leaders meet in a context of growing international tension and deteriorating relations with Western countries; Iran has received global criticism for its crackdown on protesters following the death of Mahsa Amini in September, a young woman who had been arrested for not wearing her headscarf properly.

US officials condemned China this week after a large balloon was spotted flying over Montana, part of what National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called "a high-altitude balloon programme for intelligence collection connected to the People's Liberation Army," - a claim China has denied.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×