Iran Backs China’s Bid to Reshape Middle East Security

News Desk

Tehran: Iran has welcomed China’s vision of a collective security system for the Middle East, potentially opening the door to a broader debate over who should shape the region’s future security architecture.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Baqir Qalibaf said Beijing’s push for “common security” reflected a principle that Tehran had supported for years, that countries in the region should determine their own security arrangements rather than depend on outside powers.

Qalibaf said sustainable stability would require a regional mechanism created and managed by Middle Eastern states themselves, adding that Iran was ready to join any initiative based on such an approach.

The endorsement comes at a time when China is seeking to turn its growing economic presence in the Middle East into greater diplomatic influence. Unlike Washington’s traditional reliance on military alliances and security partnerships, Beijing has increasingly promoted dialogue and regional cooperation as the basis for stability.

China’s proposal also reflects a broader shift in the region’s diplomatic landscape. Beijing has sought to position itself as a mediator and political partner at a time when several Middle Eastern countries are reassessing their dependence on traditional Western security guarantees.

For Tehran, the concept offers an opportunity to promote an alternative to what it views as a US-dominated regional order. Supporting a security framework led by regional states could also strengthen Iran’s argument that outside military involvement is a major source of instability.

The proposal could have wider implications if it gains support beyond Iran. A functioning regional security mechanism involving key Middle Eastern powers could gradually reduce the role of external military powers and create new channels for countries with longstanding rivalries to manage tensions.

For China, meanwhile, the initiative could provide a way to expand its strategic footprint without deploying large military forces. By championing a regional security dialogue, Beijing can increase its political influence while presenting itself as a partner in resolving, rather than militarily managing, Middle Eastern conflicts.

Qalibaf’s remarks therefore point to more than Iran’s support for a Chinese diplomatic proposal. They reflect an emerging contest over the future shape of Middle Eastern security: whether the region remains anchored in external alliances or moves towards a system increasingly driven by its own states, with China playing a growing role from the sidelines.