TEHRAN - Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has suggested that Tehran and Beijing should agree on a common understanding concerning threats and interests, the official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.

“The armed forces of China and Iran should reach a shared understanding regarding different threats and common interests,” Rahim Safavi said in a meeting with General Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), on the sidelines of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum themed “Common Security, Lasting Peace”.

Rahim Safavi suggested giving priority to establishing common security and sustainable peace among the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and formulation of a non-aggression pact.

He suggested that preventing aggression among the SCO members could serve as a paradigm for such initiatives.

Furthermore, he hailed China’s recognition of Iran’s role in regional affairs and its congratulations to the Islamic Republic for its membership in both the SCO and BRICS.

The former chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps also addressed the United States’ “unlawful and inhumane unilateral coercive measures”, underscoring the crucial role of the Chinese government in countering the American government’s pursuit of hegemonic power and unilateral policies.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rahim Safavi emphasized the oppression against Palestinian people and their legal rights.

He considered the Al-Aqsa Storm operation by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas against Israel a legitimate act of defense against 75 years of occupation of the Palestinian lands by the Zionist regime of Israel.

He also reprimanded Washinton’s unwavering support for the Zionist regime in its war on the Gaza Strip, saying the U.S. is in full command of the ongoing war that started on October 7.

The top military advisor described the Zionist regime’s war on Gaza as “genocide” and insisted on the need to immediately announce a truce in the war and deliver humanitarian aid, including water, food, medicine, and fuel, to the besieged enclave of Gaza.

Major General Rahim Safavi also said the role of China is highly important to counter the American hegemony and unilateralism in the world.

Rahim Safavi also held talks with the chief of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) on geopolitics.

As an important think tank, CICIR has a great share in crafting China’s strategic policies.

The assistant to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution also shared views with the director of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) on issues in Asia and the larger world.

Rahim Safavi also visited the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences.

 “Iranian military is an important partner of China’s army”

For his part, General Zhang praised the participation of the top Iranian military advisor in the Beijing Xiangshan Forum and said China and Iran have been guarding their good relationship in the highly volatile world.

Zhang also said China is aware of Iran’s role in the West Asia region and greeted Iran’s membership in the SCO and BRIC.

Iran gained full membership of the SCO in July 2023. It became the ninth member of the bloc at the 23rd summit of the SCO Council of Heads of States

Also, Iran will officially join BRICS as of January 1, 2024.

The CMC vice chairman also said Iran’s “armed forces are one of the important partners of China’s army” and the presidents of the two countries attach great importance to the promotion of cooperation in different areas, IRNA reported.

Xiangshan Forum

The 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum officially began on October 30 with representatives from a record number of countries, regions, and international organizations.

Foreign experts who participated at the forum said the event provided all parties with a platform to talk in a frank manner that contributes to better communication, better understanding of each other's positions, and better resolutions to questions, the Global Times reported.

Official delegations from more than 90 countries, regions and international organizations participated in the forum.

It featured high-end dialogues, a leading experts dialogue, a seminar by young military officers and scholars, and a symposium on Sun Tzu's Art of War

Four plenary sessions were held with a focus on Major Countries' Responsibility and Global Security Cooperation, the Role of Developing Countries in Global Security, Asia-Pacific Security Architecture: Present and Future, as well as Regional Security and Development: Goals and Roads.

China's Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong said in a speech at the forum on Tuesday that China would hold high-level conferences on the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at an appropriate time. Experts and many delegates reached by the Global Times at the forum said that the so-called rules-based international order has already caused at least two major geopolitical crises in Europe and the Middle East, so it is time for the world to form a new order that can realize "common security" and "lasting peace," which are the themes of the forum. They said the China-proposed GSI is an important contribution to this global demand.