China–Iran relations

China–Iran relations (Chinese: 中国–伊朗关系, Persian: روابط ایران و چین) refer to the bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China and Iran. The relationship between the two civilizations is one of the oldest continuous contacts in history, stretching back more than 2,500 years. Their earliest interactions began when the Achaemenid Empire and the Zhou dynasty had indirect contact in the 6th century BC. The first direct and official contact started between the Parthian Empire and Han dynasty around 200 BC, when the Chinese envoy Zhang Qian encountered the Parthian court. In 115 BC, Emperor Wu of Han, seeking to expand trade—especially in his search for high-quality horse herds—sent envoys with gifts to the court of Mithridates II.

Persian merchants became the main carriers of goods and culture across Central Asia, bringing their religions, music, and ideas into China. Ambassadors were exchanged, and Chinese travelers visited Iran regularly. Each side introduced new goods to the other, the most famous of which was Chinese silk. The trade route carrying this precious commodity from China to Europe passed through Iran, becoming known as the Silk Road, with Iran controlling much of the trade that moved silk, metals, glass, and textiles between East and West.

During the Sassanid Empire, royal marriages took place. Several Sassanid kings and nobles married Chinese princesses or women from influential Chinese families to strengthen ties. These unions symbolized the close relationship between the two sides. Persian communities lived in Chinese cities during the Tang dynasty, and after the fall of Sassanid Empire, some Sassanid princes even took refuge in China. Trade also expanded by sea, with Persian sailors linking the Persian Gulf to Chinese ports. In the 13th century during the Mongol era, Iran (under Ilkhanate) and China (under Yuan) were part of a single empire.

In modern times, official diplomatic relations were established in 1937 between the Republic of China and Pahlavi Iran. During the Cold War before the 1970s, Iran was generally aligned against the People's Republic of China until the latter established formal relations with the United States and the west. After the Iranian Revolution, China and the United States were both distrusted, but subsequent sanctions by the west pushed Iran closer to the east. Cooperation gradually expanded, with China becoming a major buyer of Iranian oil and a leading investor in transportation and industrial projects. Relations deepened through long-term economic agreements and China's Belt and Road Initiative, making Iran one of China's most important strategic partners. In 2021, the two nations signed a 25-year cooperation agreement.