While Iran and some western nations are calling the 25-year-long deal an ‘accord’, China identifies it as a ‘plan’ and not as an ‘agreement.’ Beijing calls the deal a ‘plan’ as a plan can be ‘implemented’ or even ‘retracted.’ This shows the prudence of President Xi, who must have weighed the pros and cons repeatedly before deciding to sign the agreement, which has shaved the eyebrows of western superpowers
@Kunal_Chonkar
New Delhi: Iran and China have finally signed the landmark, wide-ranging economic and security cooperation agreement, which has not only shaved the eyebrows of Washington but also advanced Tehran’s longstanding efforts to deepen diplomatic relations outside the ambit of western nations.
On March 27, Iranian Foreign minister Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi signed the deal, which both sides are calling a ‘strategic partnership’ meant to last for 25 years. The strategic partnership, which was five years in the making, had gained much controversy in 2020, due to some controversial aspects in the document. While these aspects were neither revealed nor discussed by the two parties back then, even after signing the deal both Beijing and Tehran continue to maintain their ‘strategic silence.’
The details about the agreement have not been published, but a draft of the agreement circulated in 2020, copy available with TheNews21, included Chinese investments in projects ranging from nuclear energy, ports, railroads, infrastructure to transfer of military technology, collaboration in Iran’s oil-and-gas industry, and a rumoured pact for the Kish island.
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Tehran denies publication of the accord with Beijing
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has expressed reluctance to publicize the text of the 25-year-long strategic document on cooperation between Tehran and Beijing, contrary to earlier promises that the text of the document would be made public after the accord was inked. On March 28, Reza Zabib, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s Aid for Asia and Oceania Affairs, took to social media saying ‘Why isn’t it published? There is an obligation for the publication of agreements. However, the publication of non-binding documents is not a common practice. The sanctions are an extra obstacle in this way.’
Following the deal signing on Saturday, Iranian citizens lashed out on social media over the accord with China, as they see it as a betrayal of Tehran and undermining its sovereignty. Locals expressed their concerns on the contents of the deal that have not been made public and even kept away Iranian legislators. Iranian nationals largely voiced that the agreement is set to ‘convert Iran into a Chinese colony.’
The Iranian Foreign Ministry had said in 2020 it may publicize the document once it is ratified by both Tehran and Beijing. Meanwhile, on March 27, the Iranian state radio channel in a news bulletin aired a report saying that the text would be made public once it was signed. However, instead of the text on the agreement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a fact sheet on the same day, addressing the criticisms levelled against the deal. It maintained that ‘the document is only a roadmap and contains no agreement. The document makes no mention regarding the volume of investments to be made by China in the Iranian economy and does not grant a monopoly or hand over land to Beijing.’
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Ambiguous statements
Comments of Iranian high-ranking officials on the 25-year Iran-China strategic document raise the question of whether there is more in the deal than what meets the eye. Tehran’s official spokesperson Ali Rabiei said that ‘the Foreign Ministry has published a report on this document which contains the content, main topics and the content of the agreement and is available for the public.’
He added that the agreement with Beijing was non-binding, and, therefore it did not need the approval of the Majlis. He even indicated that it provided an outline for further agreements that might be signed in the near future. Rabiei pointed fingers to the Chinese when it came to the hush-hush around the entire agreement. Defending Tehran, he claimed that ‘Iran has no reservations preventing the publication of the document, but the Chinese party might have a different opinion.
Soon after Rabiei’s blame game, Mahmoud Vaezi, the Chief of Staff of President Hasan Ruhani, said in an interview with a local media outlet insisted that ‘there is nothing hidden in this document. The full text of the document was not published because of issues such as sanctions. He dusted off the controversial aspect in the agreement on leasing Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf to China, or the selling of oil to China at low prices, as ‘laughable and sheer falsehoods.’
Meanwhile, Saeed Jalili, a member of the influential Expediency Council and former head of the Supreme National Security Council, said that ‘ like every agreement, the Iran-China accord could be confidential.’ He directed that the ‘Chinese have told us that they were ready to sign a 25-year agreement with us, even under the sanctions, but they said that they do not want a situation where the US levies sanctions on Chinese firms.’
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Beijing’s reticent
Chinese media hailed Foreign Minister Wany Yi’s trip to the Middle-East after seven years as a major success for Beijing. On 30 March, a Hong Kong-based Chinese media outlet in an article said that China has kept a ‘low profile’ on the entire development and has not released any specifics of the agreement. It highlighted that all reports, narratives, and analyses on the ‘contents’ of the deal have emerged from Iranian-side or from western media sources.
The article says that while Iran and some western nations are calling the deal an ‘accord’, China identifies it as a ‘plan’ and not as an ‘agreement.’ It reasoned that Beijing calls the deal a ‘plan’, as a plan can be ‘implemented’ or even ‘retracted.’ The media claimed that this shows the prudence of President Xi Jinping, who must have weighed the pros and cons repeatedly before deciding to sign the agreement, as such an open and large transaction with Iran.
The article added that recognizing the threats from the pro-Washington elements in the region, Beijing has stretched the term of the deal to 25 years and made the Renminbi the main currency for settlement, which has significantly lowered the investment risk. The article concluded by saying that Wang Yi’s Middle-East trip was a well-considered visit in every aspect as none of the six Muslim countries, echo with the western nations on the Xinjiang issue.