Pragmatism as a Basis for Asymmetric Iran-China Relations in the Persian Gulf and Central Asia: 2004-2024

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Ahmad Adinehvand ¹
• Saeed Vosoughi Vosoughi ²
• shahrooz ebrahimi ³

¹ Ph.D. Candidate in International Relations,Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, I.R.Iran.

² University of Isfahan

³ Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/irlip.2025.89461.1560

Abstract

From the end of the Cold War until today, it has always developed its relations with the two regions of the Persian Gulf and Central Asia. China's influence has changed the equation and has consequences for the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is one of the important regional powers. However, the foreign policy of both countries towards each other has not been uniform until today. Therefore, the main goal of this article is to answer this question: Why is the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran affected by China's foreign policy as an emerging superpower in the Persian Gulf and Central Asia, due to the entanglement of interests and also due to the existence of contradictions? The current article, using qualitative method and descriptive-analytical approach, analyzes its case study in the conceptual framework of pragmatism and through library and internet resources. According to the findings of the research, both Iran and China have asymmetric relations with each other, especially in Central Asia and the Persian Gulf, which can be understood through the pragmatism in the foreign policy of these two countries. However, their pragmatic approach is not necessarily the same

Keywords

• Islamic Republic of Iran
• China
• Persian Gulf
• Central Asia
• Pragmatism

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