Does working with China support Iranian objectives?

Yesterday I spoke with Sara Bazoobandi, a Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies in Hamburg. We started with a discussion about her recent article for Middle East Policy, “Iran's Strategies in Response To Changes in US-China Relations,” which is available through open access. She gave a great overview of how the relationship with China supports Iran’s larger strategic objectives. We got into the challenges facing foreign companies trying to operate in Iran, popular resentments among Iranians concerning China’s outsized role in the economy (including substandard garlic!), how asymmetry affects the relationship, and how the US features in the bilateral. It was an informative conversation, and a lot of fun for me. I hope you find it useful.