Claim: Iran and the Philippines are forming an alliance against China.
Rating: FALSE
The Facts:
A video published by “Terong Explained” last August 23 claims that Iran and the Philippines allying against China. The narrator of the video says “Ambassador ng Iran, dinalaw mismo ang ating bansa para magpahayag ng pakikipag-alyansa sa Pilipinas. Iran at Pilipinas, may niluluto pala para sa China (Iran’s Ambassador to the Philippines specifically visited the country to state that they are allying with the Philippines. Iran and Philippines, cooking something up against China).”
This video was posted after China’s continuous harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
During the visit of Iranian Ambassador Yousef Esmaeilzadeh, he indeed talked about potential areas of cooperation with the country. These were on agriculture, trade and investment, technology, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. There was no mention of any alliance with China over the disputes of the West Philippine Sea.
Esmaeilzadeh presented his credentials to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on August 17, and they discussed trade relations.
If ever, Iran should be supporting China instead of fighting it.
GMA News has reported that Iran is looking to foster economic partnerships with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including the Philippines. Esmaeilzadeh has also proposed a barter agreement, with Iran trading fertilizer and the Philippines trading tropical fruits.
Iran has previously discussed being keen on forming stronger defense ties with the Philippines focusing on disaster management and response, counter-terrorism, and a self-reliant defense posture. There was no mention of taking direct action against China.
China is currently Iran’s biggest trade partner. In 2018, Iran also strengthened ties with Beijing after the US reimposed economic restrictions on Tehran in the same year.
According to the US Institute of Peace: “Iran has become increasingly reliant on China to survive existential crises, including diplomatic isolation, regional tensions and a rocky economy. In March 2023, China—Iran’s largest trade partner—brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic ties seven years after severing relations. The deal reflected Beijing’s growing influence and interest in Iran.”
Rappler has previously fact-checked this claim.
Why We Fact-Checked This:
Upon fact-checking, the video has over 39,000 views and 2,100 likes. The channel also has over 426,000 subscribers.
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