Does “Trump 2” affect China-Iran relations?
With the defeat of the Democratic candidate in the 2024 election, Donald Trump, the new president of the United States, has now taken over the White House for the second time, and as some analysts say, “Trump No. 2” will be a different Trump than the president from 2017 to 2021. And by learning from the mistakes of the past, he will make reforms in at least some of his approaches.
According to Isna, as Trump himself has clearly announced in the days and weeks before the start of his new presidential term, issues such as China, the Middle East and Iran will be among the most important issues of his government’s foreign policy and a significant part of his foreign policy. His government will focus on these issues.
As two independent countries, China and Iran, considering their national interests, it is natural that each of them will adopt their own independent policies and approaches towards the policies and approaches of the new American government. Each of these two countries will try to take the path of constructive interaction with mutual respect and win-win interests while maintaining equal conditions with the new US government if they see a change in the behavior of the new US government. Considering the complete independence of both Iran and China, any relations they have with the United States will not be against the interests of the other side, and according to the emphasis and agreement of the heads of the two countries, the path of strengthening the strategic relations between Iran and China, regardless of any relations they have with the United States or any The other country will continue and the strategic relations and historical friendship of the two countries will never be affected by third and external factors.
According to China’s CGTN0 report, Trump’s phone call and detailed conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which took place just three days before the inauguration of the new US president, indicates that Trump #2 attaches special importance to the issue of China. and issues related to commercial, economic, technological, political and international cooperation between the two great powers of the East and the West. It seems that he has learned a lot of lessons from his first term as president, as well as during the four-year term of Joe Biden’s presidency, on how to deal with a great power like China, and maybe in the new term, he wants at least some approaches. It is not constructive for the United States to correct China because the experience of the past years has taught it that unilateralism and hegemony, at least against a power like China, will not lead to favorable results.
Also, in an interview with the American NBC media, Masoud Mezkiyan, the President of the Republic of Iran, a few days before the start of Trump’s presidency and of course before his recent important trip to Russia, which led to the signing of a comprehensive long-term strategic agreement between Tehran and Moscow, expressed his desire Iran spoke under specific conditions for a dialogue with the new American government and announced its message to the new American government through this interview. While expressing concern about the history of the Americans in fulfilling their commitments, he said: “Nevertheless, we are ready to talk; We accept an equal dialogue, taking into account our dignity and wisdom, and we will not submit to force in any way.
Also, recently, the European think tank “Middle East Political Economic Institute” has claimed in a report that “Donald Trump has expressed his intention to participate in comprehensive negotiations with Iran in an early message to Tehran.” In this message sent to Tehran through Oman, Trump has expressed hope that it is possible to reach a new and different agreement from the JCPOA agreement in 2015. He has also announced that Washington is firmly determined to implement and realize such an agreement.
In addition, more than a month ago, Iran started a new round of talks with the European Union focusing on nuclear issues with the aim of lifting sanctions.
In any case, it seems that the current government of Iran, led by doctors, is more willing to talk with America than all the previous governments of this country, the reasons for which will be mentioned in the rest of this article.
The numerous and unprecedented events that occurred in the Middle East region over the past year, including the assassination of a number of leaders of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups, including Ismail Haniyeh and Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, the first members of the Hamas and Hezbollah movements, the establishment of a government inclined to The West in Lebanon, the fall of the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the continuation of illegal US sanctions and the difficult economic conditions of Iran and the further decrease in the value of the country’s national currency have caused Iran to be under difficult conditions more than ever in the past and more willing to Negotiating with the United States with the main goal of canceling sanctions.
On the other hand, Trump, who has now entered the White House with more experience and learning in his second term as president, is well aware of Iran’s position, influence and power in the region and the importance of Iran’s geopolitical position in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region as The military and missile power of the region is one of the largest energy poles in the world and one of the most important strategic partners of China and Russia as the two undeniable powers of the East, and for this reason, it is unlikely to go towards dangerous options for Iran; Because its consequences can be painful for American interests at least in the Middle East region.
On the other hand, after signing a comprehensive strategic agreement with Russia, which was carried out during the visit of Masoud Mezikian to Moscow last week, Iran took another big step forward in strengthening its strategic relations with Russia.
Also, Iran has signed a 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement with China, and it is considered one of the most important markets for China’s export destinations in the Middle East region, while Iran’s oil resources are also very attractive to China.
Due to having a long coastline with the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, Iran has complete control over the Strait of Hormuz waterway as the most important artery of the economic life of the countries of the Persian Gulf and the place where most of the exported oil of these countries passes to various destinations in the world. And this important thing makes all the countries whose economies benefit from this strategic path, including the Persian Gulf countries, China and Russia, and even European countries, using various diplomatic, political, economic and commercial tools. Membership in the UN Security Council and veto rights prevent any untoward incident against Iran.
China’s successful diplomatic action in 2023 and its mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which led to the removal of ambiguities and the resumption of friendly relations between Tehran and Riyadh, can be seen in the same line as the need to de-escalate the Middle East region with the aim of removing the black cloud of threats from the sky. He evaluated the interests of countries and great powers in this region.
China, which has established its basic policies in relations with different countries of the world based on win-win relations in the shadow of mutual respect, common destiny and common development, is still on the path of continuing efforts to develop mutual commercial and economic cooperation with different countries of the world based on The principle of common development and common destiny moves for all humanity and is well aware that security and stability are the most important prerequisites for achieving great commercial and economic goals.
In any case, regardless of any development in the future of Iran-US relations and any outcome in the process of possible negotiations between Tehran and Washington during the Trump administration, there will be no change in the basic principles and elements of Iran’s foreign policy. Although the direction of Iran’s foreign policy is determined by the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for its implementation, decisions and policies are made at a higher level than the government and by the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. will be
One of the most important basic principles of Iran’s foreign policy, which has been emphasized and ordered many times by the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is the “Look East” approach; An approach whose major and significant part is related to Iran’s extensive economic, commercial, cultural and political relations with China, and at the same time, it does not negate the strengthening of relations with the West with respect and mutual benefits.
On the other hand, China, as the world’s leading power in the field of industry and technology, is Iran’s largest trading partner by a long distance from the amount of trade relations of other countries with Iran; In addition, Iran considers itself committed to the implementation of various clauses of the 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement with China, and in addition, it is interested in making a greater contribution to the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” project with China, a project that has long-standing relations with China. The history of Iran and China is not a new issue and once in the past, it was one of the most important cultural and commercial links between the two countries in the form of the “Silk Road”.
It should not be forgotten that there is no dark spot in the history of the long-standing relations between Iran and China; Relationships as old as history, as the owner of the oldest and richest history and civilization of the world, page by page of the thick book of relations between the two countries, tells about friendships and cooperation with mutual respect.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who made an important trip to Beijing not long ago on the eve of the new year and the arrival of the Chinese Spring Festival, wrote in an article describing the importance of this trip and his country’s relations with China: “The next golden half century of Iran’s relations and China” will show that this trip is the beginning of a new chapter of strategic cooperation between the two countries, especially when in the style of Chinese wise men: “Actions speak louder than words.”
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