Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, head of the Iranian judiciary, traveled to Beijing this week to participate in a high-level summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), joining judicial leaders from across Eurasia for discussions on legal cooperation. This visit is the latest sign of rapidly expanding Iran-China relations, occurring as Iran seeks new alliances to counter Western pressure and reinforce its regional strategy.
The SCO judicial summit, hosted in the Chinese capital, brought together senior figures responsible for the rule of law in member states, signaling a deepening of ties not only between Iran and China but also among regional actors united in their opposition to Western influence. Iran’s participation—the first since becoming a full member of the SCO—demonstrates its intention to assert itself on the global stage through diplomatic engagements that bolster mutual legal and political interests.
The timing of the summit draws international attention as Iran faces growing criticism over its domestic record of systemic rights abuses, harsh repression of dissent, and the judiciary’s instrumental role in silencing opponents—a reality regularly denounced by Western governments and human rights organizations. Human rights watchdogs have documented widespread repression and the use of the courts to target activists, dual nationals, women’s rights campaigners, and minority groups. At the same time, Iran’s legal system continues to support the regime’s security priorities, including the prosecution of individuals accused of collaboration with foreign entities or undermining state authority, and facilitating the operations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at home and abroad.
The expanded Iran-China judicial dialogue comes as Iran’s diplomatic apparatus, represented in China this week by other senior officials such as Abbas Araghchi, accelerates its engagement with Eurasian multipolarism. For Tehran, deepening institutional ties with China are central to its effort to circumvent economic sanctions, gain protection in international forums like the United Nations, and enable regional influence. In tandem, China’s approach relies on building partnerships with states that can assist Beijing’s broader strategic objectives, including energy security, alternative transport corridors, and balancing against US-led alliances.
These developments carry significant security implications for Israel and the vigilance of its democratic institutions. Both the Israeli government and its intelligence agencies have repeatedly cited Iran’s foreign policy as a chief threat to regional security, especially as Iranian-backed terror networks—including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and other militias in Syria and Iraq—remain active in confronting Israel. These groups, sustained by financial and material support from Tehran, have escalated attacks throughout the region. The October 7th, 2023 massacre by Hamas in southern Israel—the deadliest antisemitic violence since the Holocaust—prompted a new strategic calculus in Jerusalem, as Israeli defense doctrine pivots to address the broad coalition of Iranian proxies now openly supported by powerful international actors.
Iran’s judiciary operates at the ideological heart of this apparatus, not only repressing internal dissent but also supporting transnational activity, including the facilitation of terror finance for groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States, the European Union, and Israel. The presence of the judiciary chief at the SCO event demonstrates Iran’s intent to legitimize these practices by gaining recognition from non-Western partners and participating as a peer among rising Eurasian powers.
For Israel’s leaders—including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir—the strengthening of Iran’s diplomatic and legal ties with China and other SCO members presents complex challenges. It risks eroding the impact of sanctions, enabling dual-use technology transfer, and providing diplomatic cover for Iranian activities that threaten Israel’s security.
The SCO, originally established for regional security and economic cooperation, has in recent years expanded its influence to include judicial and legal coordination. Critics contend that this trend enables member states to resist international scrutiny, jointly oppose Western norms on issues such as elections, human rights, and counterterrorism, and coordinate to circumvent global sanctions regimes. For Iran, active participation in the SCO provides a valuable diplomatic platform from which to dispute allegations of wrongdoing and project power among regional partners sympathetic to its grievances.
At the close of the summit, Chinese officials emphasized mutual respect and non-interference in domestic affairs—a principle long used by SCO members to sidestep criticism over internal policies. Iranian officials highlighted the country’s capacity to provide legal cooperation and support conflict-resolution strategies through official mechanisms, framing the judiciary as a stabilizing force in a volatile region.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its campaign of self-defense, seeking to dismantle regional terror networks sponsored by Iran while safeguarding hostages and preventing further atrocities. The international community’s response, particularly from the United Nations, remains divided as shifting alliances and legal forums, like those in the SCO, increasingly serve as battlegrounds for competing narratives.
The evolving partnership between Iran’s judiciary and China reflects a transformed diplomatic landscape in which legal forums are no longer neutral but instead function as instruments of national power. What was once reserved for the battlefield has now migrated to multilateral institutions as Iran’s regime strives for legitimacy, protection, and resources to intensify its campaign against Israel and its allies. As the consequences of the October 7th massacre continue to reverberate, and Israeli defense operations remain focused on neutralizing Iranian-backed threats across multiple fronts, ongoing vigilance over legal and diplomatic channels is essential to the defense of national security and the preservation of historical truth.
