I am a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s history PhD program, with a focus on China in the Middle East and Sino-Iranian relations. My dissertation, “China and the Iranian Left: Transnational Networks of Social, Cultural, and Ideological Exchange” is a historical survey of Sino-Iranian relations from the early 1900s to the foundation of the Islamic Republic, with a focus on the impact of Maoist politics on the Iranian left. My research shows that both Iranian and Chinese intellectuals were aware of and inspired by one another’s political movements, which culminated in a series of robust, unofficial connections between the Tudeh Party and the Chinese Communist Party. In addition to my historical work, I have also written about modern Sino-Iranian relations and the 25-year Iran-China Strategic Cooperation Agreement, and my commentary has been featured on websites like The Diplomat, Jadaliyya, Mondoweiss, BBC Persian, Entekhab, Le Monde, and Newsweek.
Latest Publications
- The 25-Year Iran-China Agreement: Alliance or AspirationAn analysis of the rumors surrounding the recent Iran-China deal and the future trajectory of Sino-Iranian relations. This article was published on April 15th, 2021 to Entekhab.ir. To view, please click here.
- A Fact Check of the 25-Year Iran China AgreementThe 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…
- China-Iran Relations: The Myth of Massive InvestmentWhy the 25-Year China-Iran Strategic Cooperation Agreement isn’t a “big deal,” literally or figuratively. This article was published on April 6th, 2021 to TheDiplomat.com. To view, please click here.
- Sino-Persian Exchange Along the Silk RoadAbstract: “What do the words for “lion” (狮子shīzi), “spinach” (菠菜bōcài), and “grape” (葡萄 (pútáo) all have in common in Chinese? They all derive, directly or indirectly, from either Persian roots or are otherwise etymologically or conceptually linked to Iran. Just how far back can ties between ancient China and early Iranian societies in Central Asia be traced?” This article was published on April 6th, 2021…
- A ‘$400 billion’ China-Iran deal? History suggests notThe recent China-Iran strategic cooperation agreement will unquestionably benefit the Iranian government’s desire for foreign investment, a market for oil, and pushback against diplomatic isolation. But it is less certain that it will help the Iranian people. This article was originally published by Jadaliyya under the headline “A “$400 billion” China-Iran Deal? The View from History” on October 12, 2020, and is reprinted with permission….
Media Archive
- “Demystifying the Iran-China Deal”I was invited to a conversation hosted by The Iranian Studies Collective regarding the Iran-China deal. To view this video, please click here.
- Talk at The Transnational Dimensions of the Tudeh Party ProgrammeI was invited to speak on “The Tudeh Party of Iran and the Chinese Communist Party: Propaganda and Party Politics” as part of the larger “Tudeh Party of Iran at 80 Programme.”
- BBC Persia AppearanceI was interviewed by @bbcpersian about the #IranChina 25 Year Agreement. My take? Not quite “fake news”, but by no means a $400 billion dollar anti-U.S alliance.
- “U.S. Pressures China and Iran, They Move Closer to Their Own Deal”I spoke with Tom Collins at Newsweek about the 25 Year Iran-China deal, which brings Sino-Iranian relations back in line with the rest of the Middle East, rather than a significant expansion beyond the norm for China’s engagement with the region. To view this video, click here.
- “China and the Iranian Left”In this video, Bill Figueroa shared his research on the official and unofficial exchanges between China and Iran. He explores the many layers of interaction and their impact on not only Iran’s foreign relations but also on Iran’s political development. He takes us through Sino-Iranian relations from the 1905 Iranian constitutional revolution until the 1979 revolution, touching on the main events of each country’s histories…
Contact Me
I can be reached on Twitter @IranChinaGuy or via email wfig AT sas DOT upenn DOT edu.