İbrahim ÇETİN

The research was planned to examine China’s relations with Iran in the context of OBORP (One Belt One Road Project) and the 25-year CSPA (Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement). In the research, the content of OBORP and CSPA, their meaning for China and Iran, the reasons that led these countries to this initiative and agreement, and the limitations and future of OBORP and CSPA were examined. It was concluded that the main factors that caused China to initiate the OBORP were the increasing energy need in parallel with China’s developing industry, ensuring energy security through alternative routes and the search for new markets. For Iran, OBORP means the only source of finance for energy and transportation infrastructure investments, which are needed even more due to sanctions. In addition, Iran wants to use its economic ties with China to escape international isolation and find support in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). In the research, it is evaluated that OBORP and CSPA will be more beneficial to China than to Iran, and that Iran has no choice but to reach such an agreement within the framework of its “Look East” vision. China will try to implement this agreement without confronting the United States, the most powerful actor of the international system, and its allies in the Middle East. With this agreement, Iran is trying to get China’s financial and political support to balance the sanctions of the USA and the West. As a result, it is understood that the future of CSPA is closely tied to China and Iran’s relations with the USA.