China's Ideological Influence and Trade Relations with Iran, 1960-1990

Abstract

The Sino-Soviet rift in the 1950s caused the two countries to take divergent paths in their advocacy of an international communist movement. China's ideological support of anti-imperialist revolutionary struggle was especially well received in Iran, and Maoist organizations there quickly set out to propagate China's revolutionary politics in the region, at the same time diluting that of pro-Soviet organizations. China's alliance with Iran as a counter to Soviet expansion, particularly as it was enhanced by China's improved relations with the United States, gradually took precedence over its ideological support of revolutionary movements in Iran. China's post-Mao policy of expansion of political influence in Iran received its impetus from the U.S.-Soviet support of Iran during the Iran- Iraq conflict. In order to assert its influence in the region China began to strengthen its political and trade relations with Iran as well as with Iran's adversary, Iraq. Directions taken by the present Chinese leadership continue to deemphasize ideological support of revolutionary struggle in favor of more capitalist-oriented policies.