The convergence of Iran and China in the context of the "Belt and Road Initiative"; Based on the interdependence approach

China, as a country with rising economic power and with mega-projects such as "Belt and Road Initiative", has economic, political and strategic requirements in different regions. On the other hand, Iran also has a significant capacity to participate in this initiative due to advantages such as its privileged geographical location, although this capacity is heavily influenced by the limitations and obstacles that challenge Iran's foreign policy and even the positive effects of interdependence turns into a complex category. Therefore, the present article is focused on the question of what are the most important factors affecting the convergence of relations between Iran and China in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative? The hypothetical answer is that Iran's geopolitical and geoeconomic position on the one hand and China's strategic and economic goals in connecting the four regions of Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula lead to a more convergent trend in the relations between Iran and China in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. to experience The finding of the study is that China's economy-oriented foreign policy overshadows the relationship based on mutual dependence against Iran's security-oriented foreign policy. Despite this, the entry of America and China into a new stage of competition and conflict provides Iran with the opportunity to take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative more than in the past. The research method is descriptive-analytical, relying on the description of existing trends in Iran-China relations, and based on the explanatory and deductive power of the interdependence theory.