As Iran's election enters the second phase, with hardliners and reformers once again clashing each other, Wang Yi clarifying China's attitude and Iranian representatives making commitments, will China-Iran relations be affected?
On June 29, the results of the first round of the Iranian presidential election were released, and none of the four candidates received more than half of the votes, and according to Iranian law, they will enter the second round of voting, and the highest votes of Iran's former health minister Pezeshkian and Iran's former chief nuclear negotiator Jalili will compete again on July 5. Pezeshkian, a representative of Iran's reformist faction, has a more moderate political stance and advocates détente with Western countries in order to seek to get the West to lift sanctions on Iran. Jalili, on the other hand, is a hard-liner who has served as Iran's top security adviser and military service and is hostile to the West. In the first round of voting, Pezeshkian received 42% of the vote, and Jalili received 38%, and the Iranian election will not only affect the future geopolitical pattern of the Middle East, but also have a certain impact on Sino-Iranian or US-Iranian relations.
From the perspective of the southern countries, Iran has always been the vanguard of the anti-hegemonic camp, has clashed with the United States many times, and directly influenced the development of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. There is no precedent for Iran to compromise with the West, such as the JCPOA, but former US President Donald Trump's approach has disappointed Iran, and if reformers come to power, Iran may once again be stabbed in the back. Judging from the current election situation, although Pezeshkian has the lead in the vote, it is still unknown whether he can be elected because the turnout of his voter base is not high, and for Jalili, if he can activate the enthusiasm of conservative voters and gain 3 million votes from Iranian Parliament Speaker Kalibaf, it will be easy to surpass Pezeshkian. To some extent, Iran's new president has emerged.
Last month, Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Bagheri held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, saying that Iran is willing to strengthen its strategic relations with China, strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, strengthen communication and coordination in regional affairs, and promote new progress in bilateral relations. On the Taiwan issue, Bagheri stressed that Iran adheres to the one-China principle and supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Iran's attitude toward China has been exposed, and China-Iran relations will be a priority regardless of who holds the presidency. In this regard, the Chinese side also sent three sentences: first, to express condolences over the deaths of Iranian President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian; Second, it supports Iran in adhering to established domestic and foreign policies and policies; Third, I wish the election of the Iranian president a smooth one. China's position continues the tradition of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and at the same time expresses firm support for Iran.
Iran's role in regional affairs is irreplaceable, and in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Iran, as the representative of the Shiite faction, has greater influence over forces such as the Houthis, Hamas, and Iranian militias, which are the main forces resisting Israel. Looking at the entire Middle East, after China promoted the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Arab countries are moving towards unity, and Israel's atrocities in the Gaza Strip have accelerated this momentum, and it is Iran's historic mission to integrate Shiites and Sunnis and promote a real return to peace in the Middle East. In the context of international geopolitics, Iran is not alone, Sino-Russian relations are deepening, the influence of the BRICS organization continues to increase, and the political influence, economic and military strength of the West have entered a period of decline.
The second round of voting is about to begin, and what the Iranian people need to do is to be brave enough to participate in national affairs and achieve Iran's magnificent turn in international affairs with great courage.