Iran Appoints Qalibaf as Special Envoy for China Affairs

Iranian media outlets reported the appointment of Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf as the Islamic Republic's special representative for Chinese affairs. The speaker of the Iranian parliament will take over a position previously held by both Ali Larijani and Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the current Iranian ambassador to Beijing, according to the Fars news agency.

The designation is aimed at strengthening the management of Iran-China relations and advancing files related to strategic cooperation between the two nations, the agency stated.

Larijani Killed in Israeli Strike

Ali Larijani, who served as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 17 during the war that erupted between Iran, the United States, and Israel. Former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had tasked Larijani on July 11, 2020, with serving as the lead negotiator for the 25-year strategic agreement between Iran and China, which was signed in Tehran in late March 2021.