CHINA’S IDEATIONAL INFLUENCE ON IRAN: THE 25-YEAR COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP THROUGH ROLE THEORY AND POLITICAL NARRATIVES

Authors

  • ANDRÉ MATOS https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1259-1915
  • EDUARDO RIBEIRO https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8755-052X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26619/1647-7251.17.1.24

Keywords:

Belt and Road Initiative, Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, China, Iran

Abstract

The conclusion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Iran in 2021 represented a significant milestone in the evolution of their bilateral relations. Framed within the Belt and Road Initiative, this agreement became both a vehicle for cooperation and a shared institutional arrangement. Based on Wendt’s Constructivism and on role theory, the analysis contends that China articulates a particular international identity and seeks to shape the ideational environment of its partners, fostering alignment with Chinese norms and policy orientations. To assess the extent to which such influence is reflected in Iran, the study examines the narratives of political leaders and key opinion makers through discourse analysis, focusing on their interpretations of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

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Author Biographies

ANDRÉ MATOS, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1259-1915

PhD in International Relations. Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Humanities Universidade Aberta (Portugal), Senior Researcher at Centre for Global Studies

EDUARDO RIBEIRO, https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8755-052X

MA in International Relations, specialisation in Political Diplomacy from Universidade Portucalense (Portugal) and a degree in International Relations. He undertook a PECMNE work placement at the Portuguese Embassy in Athens and is a co-founder of the Diztopia Project.

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Published

2026-05-04

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026)

Section

ARTICLES