Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi to visit China for second time since Middle East war started

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to visit China on Wednesday, marking his second trip to the country since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran in late February. The visit will see Araghchi meeting with China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, with the details of the duration of Araghchi's stay yet to be disclosed.

This move highlights the strong communication channel between Beijing and Tehran during the ongoing war, and follows several other calls between the two countries. Araghchi's last visit to China occurred in early May, just prior to a visit by US President Donald Trump to Beijing. Araghchi's upcoming visit coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled meeting with Trump in Washington on September 24, making it likely that Iran will be a major topic of discussion during the summit.

Jesse Marks, a Middle East policy adviser, suggests that this visit is a strategic effort by Tehran and Beijing to align their objectives before the summit. The discussions are expected to focus on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy channel, and nuclear issues. China has been providing Iran with economic support as its primary oil importer, and Xi Jinping appears hesitant to aid Trump in his attempts to economically penalize Iran.

However, completely disregarding Trump could also risk offending the American leader. Recently, it was reported that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite images of a Jordanian base from Chinese sources before an attack in July that resulted in the deaths of three US troops. In August, the US sanctioned Chinese and Hong Kong entities over their alleged economic connections to Iran, prompting Beijing to reaffirm its commitment to maintaining a healthy relationship with Iran and safeguarding its interests.