Beijing and the new equations of West Asia; How is Iran's position redefined?

In the meeting of Ara Research Center, by examining the expansion of cooperation between China and Arab countries and geopolitical developments in West Asia, it was pointed out the necessity of redefining Iran's position in China's regional strategy.

According to Ambassador Arjan, in the research council meeting of Ara Research Center, by examining the expansion of cooperation between China and Arab countries and geopolitical developments in West Asia, the necessity of redefining Iran's position in China's regional strategy, strengthening economic diplomacy, coherence in policy-making and developing operational initiatives to take advantage of this country's capacities was emphasized.

In this meeting, which was held with the presence of Mohsen Bakhtiar, the former ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to China, Ali Fekri, the former deputy minister of economic affairs and finance, and Hamed Vafaei, a faculty member of the University of Tehran, the economic, political and security dimensions of China's relations with the Arab countries, the challenges of cooperation between Tehran and Beijing, and solutions to improve Iran's position in regional equations were discussed.

Mohsen Bakhtiar, the former ambassador of Iran to China, referring to the existing challenges in the relations between the two countries, considered the weak coordination between the executive bodies and the lack of continuous mechanisms to follow up the agreements as obstacles to the development of cooperation and emphasized: the realization of the goals of the 25-year comprehensive cooperation program and the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the People's Republic of China require a coherent structure, continuity of policies and clear implementation plans.

He also pointed to China's progress in new technologies and renewable energies, and emphasized the need to develop technological cooperation, take advantage of the economic capacity of China's provinces, and remove administrative and investment barriers.

In addition, Ali Fekri, former Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and former head of the Foreign Investment Organization of Iran, pointed to the difference between the position of Iran and Arab countries in China's development strategy and stated: Arab countries participate in China's economic development through energy resources and investment, while Iran can play a strategic role in diversifying Beijing's development paths and economic connections by taking advantage of its geopolitical position and transit capacities.

Fekri also emphasized the necessity of coherence in internal decision-making, presenting a single position in interactions with China, and defining joint projects in accordance with the real interests and capacities of the two countries.

In another part of the meeting, Hamed Vafaei, a faculty member of Tehran University, pointed to the expansion of China's presence in West Asia and stated: Beijing has strengthened its role in regional developments through the development of economic cooperation, diplomatic mediation and providing security initiatives. The restoration of Iran-Saudi relations with the mediation of China and the attempt to bring Palestinian groups closer together are examples of this approach.

Explaining the eight-point cooperation program between China and Arab countries in the fields of infrastructure, food security, health, technology, energy and regional security, he added: a significant part of these programs have been implemented or are on the way to implementation. Also, targeting the increase of trade between China and Arab countries to 430 billion dollars by 2027 shows the movement of their relations towards long-term and structural partnerships.

Referring to China's new initiatives to create a security framework in the Middle East, Vafai emphasized: Beijing's approach is based on strengthening security through development and replacing dialogue instead of confrontation, and instead of relying on political support, Iran should play a more active role in the formation of security arrangements in the region by presenting operational proposals.

In the continuation of the meeting, the experts mentioned the development of transit corridors, the strengthening of rail and road routes, the expansion of the tripartite cooperation between Iran, China and Russia, and the effective communication with Chinese research and decision-making centers as solutions to improve Iran's position in regional equations.

In the conclusion of the meeting, it was emphasized that strengthening Iran's strategic position in relations with China, more than concluding new agreements, requires coherence in policy making, removing implementation obstacles and converting existing capacities into operational plans; An approach that can promote Iran's role in the economic and security developments of West Asia.

The meeting of the Research Council of Ara Research Center is held every week with the presence of researchers, professors, experts and activists from various fields, and the latest researches and reviews are discussed in it.