Soft Power and SPPD in China Iran Relationship

ABSTRACT In an effort to support its economic growth that has become dependent on external factors, China has been ramping up its use of Soft Power Pipelines Diffusion. Due to Iran’s strategic location, rich oil and natural gas reserves and joint opposition to the US hegemony, China has been employing different instruments of Soft Power to gain influence in that country. This article will review and analyse the main expressions of China’s Soft Power pipelines in Iran and examine how they are perceived by the Iranian public. The findings of this study show that while some Iranians view Chinese influence as generally positive, others are more apprehensive and suspicious in their approach, but overall the Iranian know that they need China as an alliance.