Studying Factors Involved in Development of Iran-China Relations in Post- JCPOA

When Hassan Rouhani came to power, Iran began new round of negotiations with 5+1 group’s member states which eventually gave rise to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In this regard, despite reduction of tensions and consequently reviving Iran and Europe relations, not only Iran-China ties were maintained, it also experienced a remarkable development. Main question of the present research is that what factors have played a key role in development of Iran-China relations after the nuclear agreement or JCPOA. The research by utilizing analytical-descriptive method and applying pragmatic paradigm in the framework of the neo-realism theory, argues that some factors such as China loyalty to Iran during difficult situation of the sanctions, Iran’s continuing mistrust to the West despite reviving the relationship, Tehran-Beijing mutual economic necessities,  Iran’s geopolitics and geostrategic importance for China, mutual needs for countering the radicalism, terrorism, fundamentalism and also opposing to the present international order and the US unilateralism have caused Iran and China in addition to maintain the ongoing level of interactions and political and economic relations, they also try to develop bilateral ties further.