Iran's defense minister Nasirzadeh visits China in first trip since war
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh has arrived in China, marking his first publicly known international visit since the recent conflict between Iran and Israel erupted.
Nasirzadeh is participating in a meeting of defense ministers from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), held in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao. The two-day event, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, is being hosted by Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, according to a social media post linked to China Central Television, the country’s state broadcaster.
On the sidelines of the summit, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with Nasirzadeh and emphasized the need for deeper cooperation among member nations to uphold international security and stability, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported.
Iran formally became a member of the SCO in 2023 and has previously conducted joint military exercises with China. The regional security alliance, led by Beijing, also includes Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
While the visit is considered part of regular diplomatic activity in the lead-up to the SCO leaders’ summit in September, it holds particular significance in the aftermath of the recent US-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which ended 12 days of hostilities.
Beijing, although vocal in its criticism of US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, has so far offered Tehran only diplomatic backing without direct material support.
Nasirzadeh’s presence in China signals Iran’s ongoing efforts to strengthen defense ties with key partners and reassert its role within multilateral security platforms, especially amid heightened tensions with Western powers.
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