The impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran's engagement and integration in the Belt and Road Initiative

This study seeks to examine the new dynamic of the growing comprehensive strategic partnership between Iran and China in order to understand the impact and the extent of the reimposition of U.S. secondary sanctions on Iran's engagement and integration in the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. Tehran has a special geographical and communication status in West Asia which makes it one of the important centerpieces of the new Silk Road trade route. However, Washington's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement and to reimpose sanctions has created barriers in the new dynamic in Sino-Iranian trade and obstacles to integrating Iran into the realization of the Belt and Road Initiative.