انجمن ژئوپلیتیک ایران فصلنامه بین المللی ژئوپلیتیک 1735-4331 22 2 2026 06 22 Analyzing Iran's Geopolitical Relations with China in the Asia-Pacific Region Analyzing Iran's Geopolitical Relations with China in the Asia-Pacific Region 1 30 230982 10.22034/igq.2025.460528.1903 FA Bahadur Zarei Associate Professor, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Hamid Reza Mohammadi Associate Professor of Shahid Beheshti Faculty of Earth Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-6550-4897 Mohammad Reza Doroudian A Senior Student at the Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. 0009-0004-6955-1780 Journal Article 2024 06 01 <span lang="EN">From Iran’s perspective, China represents the most significant strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region. Despite consistent political, geo-economic, and geo-strategic cooperation over the past decade, the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA has led China to adopt a more cautious approach toward Iran. Although bilateral ties have grown closer over the last four decades, particularly in economic domains, geopolitical relations have remained asymmetrical—favoring China's national interests. China does not perceive Iran as a strategic actor of equal geopolitical weight due to its broader global and regional ambitions. The 25-year strategic cooperation agreement signed in 2021 aimed to deepen bilateral ties, but has yet to produce tangible results, partly due to U.S. pressure. This research uses a descriptive-analytical method and is of a fundamental nature. It aims to examine the capacities, challenges, and obstacles shaping Iran–China relations, offering solutions to rebalance this asymmetry. The study also investigates the strategic role of China in shaping regional policies and explores the evolution of Iran’s geopolitical engagement in the Asia-Pacific realm. Data collection is based on library resources, academic papers, books, and online materials.</span> <span lang="EN">The research concludes that Iran must engage more strategically and symmetrically with China, aligning bilateral ties with mutual geopolitical interests. Strengthening such cooperation can help Iran leverage its strategic capacities more effectively in light of ongoing regional and global shifts.</span> <span lang="EN">From Iran’s perspective, China represents the most significant strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region. Despite consistent political, geo-economic, and geo-strategic cooperation over the past decade, the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA has led China to adopt a more cautious approach toward Iran. Although bilateral ties have grown closer over the last four decades, particularly in economic domains, geopolitical relations have remained asymmetrical—favoring China's national interests. China does not perceive Iran as a strategic actor of equal geopolitical weight due to its broader global and regional ambitions. The 25-year strategic cooperation agreement signed in 2021 aimed to deepen bilateral ties, but has yet to produce tangible results, partly due to U.S. pressure. This research uses a descriptive-analytical method and is of a fundamental nature. It aims to examine the capacities, challenges, and obstacles shaping Iran–China relations, offering solutions to rebalance this asymmetry. The study also investigates the strategic role of China in shaping regional policies and explores the evolution of Iran’s geopolitical engagement in the Asia-Pacific realm. Data collection is based on library resources, academic papers, books, and online materials.</span> <span lang="EN">The research concludes that Iran must engage more strategically and symmetrically with China, aligning bilateral ties with mutual geopolitical interests. Strengthening such cooperation can help Iran leverage its strategic capacities more effectively in light of ongoing regional and global shifts.</span> https://journal.iag.ir/article_230982_50cc68438017695b55dfa8a11ea6fbc5.pdf