With New Qalibaf Role, Iran Says Beijing Relationship Is Top Priority
The appointment follows his role in April talks with the United States and comes as Iran resumes Chinese ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iranian media reported on Sunday, May 17, 2026, that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was appointed to oversee relations with China, according to Tasnim news agency citing informed sources.
- Ali Larijani, the former security chief, previously held this position after overseeing negotiations that established a 25-year cooperation agreement with China in 2021, before he was killed in US-Israeli strikes on March 17.
- Following the February 28 war outbreak, Ghalibaf emerged as a central diplomatic figure steering talks with the United States; Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian proposed his appointment, which Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei approved.
- Chinese ships recently transited the strategic Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the conflict erupted; The Revolutionary Guards stated the passage followed an agreement on "Iran's strait management protocols."
- Ghalibaf will "coordinate various sectors of relations between Iran and China" in his new role as special representative, sustaining diplomatic and economic ties as the region recovers from the recent war.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Iran’s terrifying first move after Trump-Xi Summit, appoints US negotiator as China’s special envoy
Iran delivered a major geopolitical surprise days after Donald Trump’s high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping by appointing parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as Tehran’s special representative for China affairs. The move deepens Iran-China coordination just as Washington tries to pressure Beijing over Tehran. Ghalibaf, who previously led negotiations with the U.S. that helped secure a ceasefire after the Gulf conflict, will now oversee key…
Iran's Ghalibaf handed China portfolio in signal of deepening Beijing tilt
Iran has placed parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in charge of relations with China, in a move described as a step to deepen ties with Tehran's most important strategic partner, academic Mohammad Marandi has said.
Qalibaf was Iran's chief negotiator in peace talks with the US
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