POWER POLITICS IN MIDDLE EAST: A CASE STUDY OF SINO IRANIAN RELATIONS
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Date
2023-05-23
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DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Abstract
Iran-China bilateral ties, which were formed in 1971, have seen significant changes since 1979,
particularly following the conclusion of the Cold War. Both countries chose to expand their
relations in various areas despite basic differences in ideological dogma and governance
structure, and based on a number of areas of commonality, most notably a similar international
outlook as developing states of the South, and mutual need in economic fields, most notably
energy, and also in the military field. This research thesis examines the evolution of these
bilateral ties since the early 1980s, focusing on two sets of elements that have influenced them:
favorable and restrictive factors. While favorable factors contributed to the expansion and
deepening of Tehran-Beijing relations during the period under consideration, the article argues
that China's grand strategy to become a world power and the requisite policy of rapprochement
with the West, particularly the United States, have in fact intervened to constrain China's
relations with other states, including Iran. Similarly, the continuation of a state of tension
between Iran and the United States after 1979, particularly since 2003 over the nuclear issue,
and hence US pressure on China, have played a major role in complicating Iran-China ties.
Despite Iran's emphasis on the "Look to the East Policy" since 2005, China's backing for UN
Security Council sanctions resolutions on Iran since 2006 has mirrored China's predicament
and worked to constrict relations, even to some extent inside the energy area. This research
thesis concludes that, despite the inevitability of restrictions in Iran-China relations due to the
dynamics at play, both nations would retain their relations in the economic and energy sectors,
as well as on international and multilateral matters of mutual importance.