Iran Backs China’s Call for ‘Common Security’ in Region, Qalibaf Says
TEHRAN, IRAN — WEB DESK: Iran has welcomed China’s emphasis on building “common security” in the region, with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf saying Tehran is prepared to contribute to a new security architecture developed by regional countries themselves.
In a post on X on Friday, Qalibaf said China’s emphasis on common security was consistent with a principle that Iran had advocated for years.
The Iranian parliament speaker argued that countries in the region should take greater responsibility for determining their own future and security arrangements rather than relying on external powers.
Qalibaf said lasting stability could only emerge through a homegrown regional security architecture and added that Iran was ready to contribute to such an initiative.
His comments reinforce Tehran’s longstanding position that regional security should primarily be managed through cooperation among Middle Eastern countries rather than through dependence on military or security guarantees from powers outside the region.
The remarks also follow a broader Iranian diplomatic push for new regional arrangements. In August, Qalibaf said Tehran had received multiple messages from neighbouring countries concerning potential new security commitments and economic cooperation. He argued at the time that an independent regional order could provide a stronger basis for peace and security.
China Pushes ‘Common Security’ Approach
China has increasingly presented itself as an advocate of dialogue and collective security in the Middle East.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a comprehensive approach to common security in the region while opposing the use of force, unilateral pressure and what Beijing describes as double standards in international affairs. China has also stressed the importance of addressing the Palestinian issue as part of any sustainable regional settlement.
For Tehran, China’s approach overlaps with its argument that countries in the Middle East should reduce their dependence on external military powers.
Qalibaf made a similar argument on August 30, saying security arrangements dependent on the presence and intervention of foreign powers were inherently fragile. He called for greater regional unity, sovereignty and cooperation.
Regional Tensions Raise Stakes
The latest comments come at a particularly sensitive time for Middle East security following renewed military confrontation between Iran and the United States.
US and Iranian forces exchanged fresh strikes earlier this week, intensifying concerns over a wider escalation and disruption to energy supplies and shipping through the Gulf.
Diplomatic efforts have continued alongside the military confrontation. Iran and Oman have recently discussed proposals related to restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, another indication of attempts to establish mechanisms for managing regional tensions.
Iran’s endorsement of China’s common-security concept therefore carries significance beyond bilateral Iran-China relations. It reflects Tehran’s push for a broader regional framework in which Middle Eastern governments assume greater responsibility for collective security.
However, Qalibaf’s statement outlines a political position rather than a detailed multilateral agreement. No specific new regional security treaty, membership structure or implementation timetable was announced in the remarks.
