The signing of the 25-year Iran-China Strategic Cooperation Agreement on March 27th, 2021 set off alarm bells in the media and prompted a frenzy of commentary. It has alternatively been called an “alliance”, an “open challenge to the United States”, and a game-changer. It has also been derided as the selling of Iran to China, turning Iran into a “Chinese gas station”, and a new “Axis of Evil.” Some reports have claimed the deal is worth $400 billion dollars, while others claim a number as high as $500 billion.

However, the initial consensus emerging among a growing number of China-Iran and China-Middle East experts paints a very different picture. Scholars working on China-Iran relations increasingly hold that the terms, significance, and price of the agreement have all been greatly exaggerated. This brief dossier presents a five-point outline that summarizes this consensus.

This article was published on April 8th, 2021 to Sharqforum.org. To view, please click here.