BEIJING, September 16 — Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi is in Beijing on Wednesday for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as China simultaneously hosts the Xiangshan Forum, a major international security gathering bringing together military officials, diplomats and academics from around the world.
The meetings come just days before the planned September 24 meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, placing Iran at the centre of a wider diplomatic conversation between Beijing and Washington.
China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on September 15 that Araghchi would visit China on September 16 and hold talks with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China’s foreign minister. The ministry’s announcement did not provide a detailed agenda for the talks.
The Iranian minister’s visit comes against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Reuters reported this week that Washington and Beijing are also preparing for discussions on Iran, including China’s financial and economic links with Tehran.
Security Talks Underway in Beijing
At the same time, Beijing is hosting the Xiangshan Forum, one of China’s major international security and defence gatherings.
Reuters reported that the forum has attracted more than 2,000 delegates, including military officials, diplomats and academics from about 100 countries, with representatives from the Pentagon, Russia and the Taliban among those attending.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun opened the forum by calling for an end to provocative actions and urging countries to pursue an approach to international security based on the peaceful resolution of conflicts. His remarks did not directly name the United States or its allies.
Iran is also participating in the security forum through a delegation that includes military representatives. Reuters reported that Iranian military officer Mohammad Taghi Osanlou participated in a panel alongside Saudi researcher Prince Turki Al-Faisal.
The participation of Iranian and Saudi representatives adds a regional dimension to the forum as Beijing hosts wider discussions on international security.
Iran’s War Remains Part of the Wider Diplomatic Picture
The Beijing meetings are taking place while Iran remains involved in an ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.
The conflict has also affected regional security and energy markets, including tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier diplomatic efforts to establish a framework for ending hostilities included discussions over a ceasefire, the reopening of the strait and a broader settlement.
Against this background, the immediate diplomatic objective of the Araghchi–Wang meeting is not yet fully clear. China’s official announcement confirmed the meeting but did not release a detailed list of issues to be discussed.
Specific claims about a new Chinese mediation initiative, an agreement between Tehran and Beijing, or a coordinated strategy between the two countries therefore cannot yet be confirmed.
The Xi–Trump Meeting
The timing also places the Iran–China talks alongside preparations for the planned Xi–Trump meeting on September 24.
Reuters reported that U.S. and Chinese officials are conducting preparatory discussions, with Iran and China’s financial ties with Tehran among the issues Washington is expected to raise.
The Xiangshan Forum is taking place roughly a week before the planned summit, bringing international security officials together in Beijing while Iran’s foreign minister conducts separate high-level diplomatic talks.
For now, the confirmed developments are threefold: Iran’s foreign minister is holding talks with China’s foreign minister; an Iranian delegation is participating in China’s major international security forum; and Washington and Beijing are preparing for the planned Xi–Trump meeting, with Iran among the issues expected to feature in their discussions.
The specific outcome of the Araghchi–Wang talks will depend on any official statements released following the meeting.
Related stories:
China Launches Arctic Shipping Route to Europe
Iran Set to Join BRICS New Development Bank Amid Sanctions Pressure
Are US-Iran Talks Really Back On? Tehran and Washington Tell Different Stories
Iran Reportedly Set to Receive 400 Chinese Air Defense Missile Launchers
