In the second episode of Dragon Road, host Arif Rafiq speaks to Dr. Bill Figueroa to help unpack the recently inked China-Iran deal.


The post Episode 02 – The China-Iran Deal: Separating Myth From Reality appeared first on Tabadlab | Understanding Change.

About this Episode

In this second episode of Dragon Road, host Arif Rafiq speaks to Dr. Bill Figueroa to help unpack the recently inked deal between China and Iran, placing it in the broader context of Sino-Iranian relations through the decades, and the political economies of both countries. Dr. Figueroa busts some myths about the deal’s purported monetary value and as a manifestation of the China-US rivalry. He also answers the fundamental question of whether the agreement will lead to a closer relationship between China and Iran in the form of an alliance. 

Tabadlab’s Dragon Road · S01 E02 – Separating Myth From Reality on China-Iran

About the Guest


Dr. Bill Figueroa is an expert on historical and contemporary Sino-Iranian relations. He recently graduated from the PhD History program at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his dissertation, titled “China and the Iranian Left: Transnational Networks of Social, Cultural, and Ideological Exchange, 1905-1979”, Dr. Figueroa writes on Sino-Iranian relations in various publications and news media outlets. He tweets at @IranChinaGuy.

Publications by the Guest

A Fact Check of the 25-Year Iran China AgreementA “$400 billion” China-Iran Deal? The View from HistoryChina-Iran Relations: The Myth of Massive InvestmentSino-Persian Exchange Along the Silk RoadCan China’s Israel-Palestine Peace Plan Work?Why China’s offer to broker a Middle East peace is a bit superficial and self-serving

The post Episode 02 – The China-Iran Deal: Separating Myth From Reality appeared first on Tabadlab | Understanding Change.