China and Iran Readjust Relations: Economic Implications of the Suspended Nuclear Deal

The conclusion of the multilateral agreement about the Iranian nuclear issue in June 2015 was widely predicted to accelerate both the scope and size of commercial interactions between China and Iran. As a result, the two countries talked about the prospect of increasing their bilateral commerce from less than $50 billion to $600 billion within a short period of time. Later, Beijing and Tehran moved to sign a 25-year strategic agreement partly to achieve that critical objective. The American withdrawal from the nuclear deal under the Trump administration in May 2018, however, put a halt to the rosy trade prospect of $600 billion between China and Iran. The contentious 25-year pact laid in the limbo in the wake of the crippling regime of international sanctions in which Washington spearheaded against Iran upon quitting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Shirzad Azad argues how China’s overall commercial relationship with Iran has turned out to be unusually asymmetrical and lopsided over the past several years. In some areas, Sino–Iranian business partnership surprisingly dwindled to a trickle, while in several other fields the presence of Chinese brands and technological expertise in Iran unexpectedly reached an all-time high.

About the Author :
Shirzad Azad is independent scholar possessing a doctorate in International Relations. He studied and taught in the East Asian countries of Japan, South Korea (ROK), and China for roughly one decade (2005-2015).

Review :
"This book is a much-needed contemporary overview of the economic, financial, and technological aspects of Sino-Iranian relations. Azad brings to the foreground new areas of interest, such as the mobile and car industries, that move us past just an examination of oil and nukes to illuminate the deep ties that Iran and China have established over the years. Examining these issues in the aftermath of the US's retreat from the JCPOA, Azad provides new insight into what the future holds for the relationship." [This] volume makes for a coherent analysis of the political economy of China-Iran relations over the last few years. This is based on interesting though fairly rudimentary data. The volume will likely interest academics and students. It is a solid contribution to the literature on China's relations with the Middle East. This book provides the reader with a deep dive into the latest developments in multifaceted aspects of Iran-China relations. Nuanced and textured, the research is laced with insights into the broader contexts that inform the policy frameworks and political and economic outcomes on both sides. As such, it is much needed corrective that enables us to look beyond the hype and the mainstream media headlines. Students, academics and policy makers alike would find much food for thought in this volume on this increasing significant relationship with regional and global ripple effects.