By Shannon Tiezzi
It’s no coincidence that Xi Jinping’s first visit to Iran comes just after “Implementation Day” for the nuclear deal.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is making his first tour of the Middle East this week, with stops in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Those two countries have traditionally underpinned China’s Middle East relations, but they won’t be the only places Xi visits. He’ll also stop in Iran from January 22 to 23, making him the first Chinese president to do so since Jiang Zemin in 2002.
It’s no coincidence that Xi will be in Iran for the one-week anniversary of the official implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan for Action (JCPOA). On January 16, the International Atomic Energy Agency certified that Iran has complied with the deal’s terms by restricting its nuclear program, triggering the removal of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi congratulated all sides on the “solid step forward to the political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue” and reminded the world that China “played a constructive role throughout the negotiation process.”
The JCPOA is a double-edged sword for China-Iran relations. On one hand, it opens the door for much deeper ties without Beijing having to risk international approbation. As such, China moved quickly to capitalize on the deal, pursuing deeper economic and military ties with Tehran. On the other hand, though, China isn’t the only country looking to capitalize on new access to Iran’s markets, meaning Beijing could lose a privileged position as European companies seek to enter the game.
Read the full story at The Diplomat