China's Xi keeps Iranian president at arm's length weeks ahead of Trump summit
China's Xi gave Iran's Pezeshkian a brief, low-profile audience at the SCO summit, as Beijing seeks to avoid appearing close to Tehran ahead of a high-stakes summit with Trump.
TL;DR
- Xi Jinping and Masoud Pezeshkian met briefly on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan.
- Chinese state media did not publicize the meeting, contrasting with coverage of other leaders.
- This low-profile approach is interpreted as Beijing carefully managing its public image regarding Iran.
- The move comes weeks before Xi's planned trip to Washington for a meeting with President Trump.
- An SCO joint statement condemned military strikes on Iran and supported civilian nuclear development but offered no concrete support.
- Analysts suggest China may be signaling dissatisfaction with Tehran's actions, particularly regarding the conflict and the Strait of Hormuz.