New China Defense Minister Holds Video Talks with Russia’s Shoigu 

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meets with President Vladimir Putin after a flag-raising ceremony for the Admiral Golovko frigate joining the Russian Navy Fleet at a shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 25, 2023. (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via Reuters)
Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meets with President Vladimir Putin after a flag-raising ceremony for the Admiral Golovko frigate joining the Russian Navy Fleet at a shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 25, 2023. (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via Reuters)
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New China Defense Minister Holds Video Talks with Russia’s Shoigu 

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meets with President Vladimir Putin after a flag-raising ceremony for the Admiral Golovko frigate joining the Russian Navy Fleet at a shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 25, 2023. (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via Reuters)
Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meets with President Vladimir Putin after a flag-raising ceremony for the Admiral Golovko frigate joining the Russian Navy Fleet at a shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 25, 2023. (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via Reuters)

China's new defense minister Dong Jun held a video call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday, according to a defense ministry statement, in his first public engagement since being appointed last month.

Former Navy chief Dong's appointment came after his predecessor, Li Shangfu, disappeared from public view in August, throwing China's military diplomacy in doubt.

Dong told Shoigu that the Chinese and Russian militaries will "promote bilateral military relations to reach an even higher level, in order to play an even bigger role in upholding global security and stability", according to the Chinese defense ministry readout.

Dong added that both militaries will "firmly respond to global challenges and continue to enhance mutual strategic trust".

The role of China's defense minister is to be the public face of the People's Liberation Army in its engagement with the media and with other armed forces.

China and Russia's close military ties have been the target of Western scrutiny, especially after Russia's 2022 invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, which China has refused to condemn.

Western countries, including the United States, have repeatedly warned China not to provide lethal aid to Russia's battlefield efforts.

Both militaries held joint air and sea drills in the Sea of Japan in July, while South Korea had to scramble fighter jets when Chinese and Russian military planes entered its air defense zone last month.

A crucial element of Dong's job is to engage with the United States military to reduce the risk of conflict over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

High-level military talks between China and the US resumed in December after being suspended for more than a year due to a dispute over Taiwan.



Iran Says Talks with US to Focus Solely on Nuclear Issue, Lifting Sanctions

Iranian newspaper front pages on the day of the highest-level Iran-US nuclear talks in years - AFP
Iranian newspaper front pages on the day of the highest-level Iran-US nuclear talks in years - AFP
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Iran Says Talks with US to Focus Solely on Nuclear Issue, Lifting Sanctions

Iranian newspaper front pages on the day of the highest-level Iran-US nuclear talks in years - AFP
Iranian newspaper front pages on the day of the highest-level Iran-US nuclear talks in years - AFP

Iran's foreign ministry said Sunday that talks with the United States slated for next weekend will remain "indirect" with Omani mediation, and focused solely on the nuclear issue and lifting of sanctions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held talks Saturday in Muscat, marking the highest-level Iran-US nuclear negotiations since the collapse of a 2015 accord.

They agreed to meet again in seven days.

"Negotiations will continue to be indirect. Oman will remain the mediator, but we are discussing the location of future negotiations," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in an interview with state TV.

He said the talks would only focus on "the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions," and that Iran "will not have any talks with the American side on any other issue."

Analysts had said the US would push to include on the agenda discussions over Iran's ballistic missile program along with Tehran's support for the "axis of resistance" -- a network of militant groups opposed to Israel, AFP reported.

Tehran has, however, maintained it will talk only about its nuclear program.

Donald Trump in 2018 pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers during his first term as US president.

He reimposed sweeping economic sanctions against Iran, which continued to adhere to the agreement for a year after Washington's pullout but later began rolling back its own commitments.

Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.

On Sunday, Iranian media largely welcomed the rare talks as a "decisive turning point" in relations between the longtime foes.

Iran's conservative Javan daily praised the US for "not seeking to expand the negotiations to non-nuclear issues".

The government-sponsored newspaper, Iran, described the discussions as "constructive and respectful," quoting Araghchi.

Meanwhile, the reformist Shargh newspaper said it was a "decisive turning point" in Iran-US relations.

The hardline Kayhan newspaper, which was largely sceptical in the days leading up to the talks, lamented that Iran does not have a "plan B" while there was "no clear prospect for an agreement with Donald Trump."

It, however, lauded the fact that the American side did not bring up "the dismantling of nuclear facilities" and "the possibility of a military attack" during the discussions.