China defense minister arrives in Tehran for three-days official visit

The Chinese minister of national defense has arrived in the Iranian capital at the head of a high-ranking delegation as Tehran and Beijing seek to strengthen their strategic defense cooperation.

General Chang Wanquan’s aircraft touched down in Tehran on Sunday for an official three-day visit. He was officially invited to visit the Islamic Republic by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan.

An official reception ceremony is to be held for the Chinese defense chief on Monday. The two ministers are to meet then before signing an agreement on defense and military cooperation.

In addition to meeting with Dehqan, the visit is to feature discussions with other senior Iranian defense officials and political authorities over matters of mutual concern as well as regional and international affairs.

Back in September, China’s Ambassador to Iran Pang Sen announced that representative delegations from Iranian and Chinese Armed Forces planned to exchange visits.

Dehqan had traveled to China in May 2014 to negotiate mutual visits and personnel training cooperation between the two countries.

Last April, the defense chiefs met in Russia during the fourth Moscow International Security Conference, with Dehqan saying the two sides were determined to strengthen mutual relations in the defense sector.