Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting, in Tehran on March 27. Photo: AP Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting, in Tehran on March 27. Photo: AP
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting, in Tehran on March 27. Photo: AP
Gedaliah Afterman
Opinion

Opinion

Gedaliah Afterman

Why overhyped US$400 billion deal changes little for China, Iran or Middle East

  • China’s reliance on Iran for energy has declined, and it is unlikely China will endanger relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries in favour of Iran
  • While Tehran hopes to benefit from cooperation, both sides are aware this is not an agreement among equals, as Iran needs China much more than China needs Iran

Gedaliah Afterman
Gedaliah Afterman

Updated: 2:03am, 9 Apr, 2021

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting, in Tehran on March 27. Photo: AP Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting, in Tehran on March 27. Photo: AP
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting, in Tehran on March 27. Photo: AP
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Gedaliah Afterman

Gedaliah Afterman

Dr Gedaliah Afterman is head of the Asia Policy Programme at the Abba Eban Institute for International Diplomacy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (Israel). He previously served as an Australian foreign service officer working on Asian regional security issues and a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Beijing where he focused on issues related to China’s foreign policy, including the Middle East.