Iran, China sign strategic long-term cooperation agreement

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico/Associated Press

The agreement covers a variety of economic activity from oil and mining to promoting industrial activity in Iran, as well as transportation and agricultural collaboration.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

03/27/2021 08:20 AM EDT

Iran and China on Saturday signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement addressing economic issues amid crippling U.S. sanctions on Iran, state TV reported.

The agreement dubbed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership covers a variety of economic activity from oil and mining to promoting industrial activity in Iran, as well as transportation and agricultural collaborations, according to the report.

No additional details of the agreement were revealed as Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi took part in a ceremony marking the event.

The deal marked the first time Iran has signed such a lengthy agreement with a major world power. In 2001, Iran and Russia signed a 10-year cooperation agreement, mainly in the nuclear field, that was lengthened to 20 years through two five-year extensions.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/27/iran-china-agreement-478236

[joetheman]

1. Anti-TPP redux

History is always haunting.

[Lonestarblue]

2. Iran has always been one of those "what might have been" countries for me.

What might have happened if the CIA had not overthrown the democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, in 1953 to protect British and US oil interests. US support of the brutal Shah of Iran helped cement his hold on power until he was overthrown in 1979, at which point Ayatollah Khomeini came back into power. In effect, religious rule has been in power ever since, and it has kept Iran from prospering economically. The US government shut the door on a fledgling democracy and promoted a monarchical dictatorship—not exactly in keeping with our supposed support of democracy. And it was done to protect the profits of oil companies because Mosaddegh was nationalizing Iran’s oil industry because British and US oil companies were basically taking the oil and paying them pennies.

So I ask, what would have happened if the US had thrown its support behind a democratically elected Mosaddegh, who was a champion of secular democracy, instead of engineering the coup that ended his government? Iran might today be a democracy and an ally, or at least not an enemy.

[mahina]

3. With untold butterfly effect benefitting us and the region.

I wonder sometimes too. And Allende.

[McKim]

4. Thank you, Lonestarblue for this post!!

Thank you, Lonestarblue for this excellent post. Cooperation is always cheaper than war. And indeed, what might have been!!! Iran is a modern country and with a strong technology and engineering sectors. We have a lot in common with them. The infantile hostilities and forever wars the US has stirred up have yielded little good. Our demonization of China and Iran is just plain stupid. Instead we could cooperate scientifically and market goods and have cultural and academic exchanges with them. Why does the US always have to have enemies?

[heckles65]

5. I guess the prospects of Iran crying "uncle!'

and reestablishing the Pahlavis are dimming? A coronation with Trump in attendance in place of honor?

...sorry John Bolton.

[Maxheader]

6. Those 2 won't be accusing each other ..

of human rights violations or supporting terrorist activitys around the world...