expediency

Along with geopolitical reasons lurking beneath the surface of Tehran-Beijing connections, such an odd partnership between an Islamist government and a communist one brings religious-ideological elements to the fore. Iran’s relationship with China is compatible with its dominant ideological-religious doctrine. The paper introduces a new understanding of the Sino-Persian Connections from a religious-ideological prism. ‘How and under what mechanisms has Iran made its Chinese policy compatible with its religious-ideological codes? This is the pivotal question that guides the analytical narrative of the paper. The paper argues that Shia Jurisprudence has specific religious foundations that justify Iran’s policy towards China. It highlights both ‘Principlism’ and ‘Jurisprudence Pragmatism’ through which Iran expands its relations with China. Principlism asserts that the expansion of ties with China does not conflict with the religious principle of rejecting domination by non-Muslim foreigners. That is why Iranian elites do not perceive the expansion of China's influence as a form of new imperialist expansionism that could lead to the domination of a non-Muslim country over a Muslim one. Jurisprudence Pragmatism posits that the rule of expediency in Shia jurisprudence mitigates the conflict between China's policies towards its Muslim population and Iran's proclaimed support for Muslims worldwide. This pragmatism provides a religious justification for maintaining relations with Beijing.