In this 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.

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.

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