AN OVERVIEW OF CHINA-IRAN RELATIONS AND ITS IMPACT ON CENTRAL ASIA

Abstract

On March 27, 2021, Iran and China signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement that addresses economic partnership. Since the Deng Xiaoping era in 1978, China’s rapid economic growth has continuously elevated its position of this country in the international system. Today China is not limited in its borders, and its growing influence has a stake in regional and international issues. Iran officially recognized China in 1967, and diplomatic ties have begun, and it mainly developed positively. The scope of the study will be since 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and altered the nature of the international system and in the context of China- Iran relations, the focus will be on Central Asia, where the two countries have had an impact. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, China has gained a significant position in the newly independent Central Asia States, making China a significant player in the region. On the other hand, Iran has a strategic location in the Persian Gulf, and its placement at the crossroads of the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia has long made it a target for regional and global actors desiring control over a critical section of the Eurasian landmass. This study also analyzes the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) that significantly affect China-Iran relations.

Keywords

• China
• Iran
• The SCO
• The BRI
• Central Asia

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