Iran’s State News Agency Launches Chinese-Language Website

On August 26, 2019, Iran’s state news agency, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), launched a Chinese-language website at a ceremony in Tehran. According to CRI Online (國際在線), IRNA Director General Seyed Zia Hashemi and Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua (常華) jointly activated the site, with Hashemi calling the launch a “historic turning point” for bilateral media cooperation. The launch was consistent with a broader pattern: Chang made routine visits to IRNA and used the agency to amplify Chinese perspectives. The event came three years after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s January 2016 visit to Tehran, during which the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership.