SHANGHAI - The last decades have witnessed that Iran’s engagement with AsiaEuro continent has become more and more intensive, and this trend has become even more prominent since the 12-day war in 2025. Historically, Iran has always been a part of AsiaEuro continent though the connections between the two have been underestimated. 

In contemporary international relations, Iran and the continent have been mutually benefiting from the other. While Iran contributed to the stability of the continent, the continent has served as Iran’s strategic depth in its efforts countering aggression and humiliation.

Geographically, the AsiaEuro continent is sometimes broadly defined as the vast landmass between East Asia and West Europe and between the Arctic and South Asia. While Europeans call this landmass as Eurasia continent, Chinese call it as AsiaEuro continent. The continent can also be narrowly defined as the triangular area between China in the east, Russia in the north and Iran in the southwest. Zbigniew Brzezinski, the late American strategist, used to categorize the potential alliance between Iran, Russia and China as a nightmare for the U.S. to dominate the EuroAsian landmass in his famous book The Grand Chessboard.

In many ways, Iran has always been an integrated part of the continent. Geographically, Iran is bordering the continent in its east, north and northwest. Historically, Iran has been intensively interacting with various nomads across Central Asia and ancient China via the Silk Road. Culturally, the continent can still see the footprints of Persians and Iranians. The Ming (light or brightness) of the Ming Dynasty of China, 6oo years ago, was referred to Zoroastrian. And we can still see relics of Zoroastrian in the vast area of the Central Asia through China’s Xin Jiang.

Unfortunately, the above-mentioned historical links had been weakened for some time partly due to the rise of the West since the 17th century as the West had been the first to step on the path of industrialization. Just like many other parts of the world, Iran had also fallen as a victim of Western colonialism. As one of the most serious consequences, the interactions between Iran and the West had become the defining feature of Iran’s history until the Islamic Revolution though generations of Iranians had been struggling against Westernization.

Fortunately, the last two decades have seen the interactions between Iran and the continent and major powers in the continent have grown, which could be regarded as a kind of reengagement. 

Iran’s economic relations with China and Russia have grown fast, and China has remained as Iran’s largest economic partner for many years. Iran’s diplomatic engagements with countries in the continent have increased greatly. President Pezeshkian in person has held two meetings with President Xi Jinping, and four meetings with Russian President Putin since taking office in late July of 2024. He has also travelled to Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan recently. What’s even more important, Iran has joined the SCO and BRICS as full member in the last two years, which are the organizations led by major AsiaEuro powers.

The significance of the recent reengagement can never be emphasized enough. In some way, the AsiaEuro continent has served as a kind of strategic depth for Iran. Both SCO and BRICS have provided institutional support for Iran’s agendas of concern, and have served to strengthen Iran’s position in its struggle against the West. China and Russia have been persistent in supporting Iran’s legitimate rights on the nuclear issue. And latest example is the fierce debate on the issue in the Security Council of the UN on December 23, 2025. 

China has particularly been resolute in importing Iran’s oil and in maintaining its economic relations with Iran resisting American pressure of sanctions. It seems that Iranian experts are not satisfied with the level of the economic relations between the two, but China’s support has greatly contributed to Iran’s economic development and achievement.

Iran’s reengagement with AsiaEuro continent should also be regarded as a historical inevitability. The last decades have witnessed the rising of the continent especially with China growing as the second largest economy. And the rising of the continent is also well manifested in the growing of the SCO, which has already had 10 full members, 2 observers and 15 dialogue partners, and the total amount of the GDP of the SCO members has constituted one-fourth of the world total. It is due to its rising that the continent has been able to support Iran in defiance of illegitimate Western pressure. The trend is still moving forward, and the continent could be more of strategic depth in the future though patience is always needed.

On the other hand, it should also be noted that Iran had also contributed greatly to the stable order of AsiaEuro continent. Iran is geographically located in the southwest of the continent, and it is largely due to Iran’s persistent efforts to counter Western pressure that the U.S. has not achieved its objective of entering and dominating Central Asia, thus has not become a global empire in real terms as Brzezinski had prescribed for the U.S. shortly after ending of the Cold War. To put it another way, Iran’s contribution in this regard should never be neglected. In the future, Iran growing strong will always be important in the security of the Central Asia and AsiaEuro continent.

In one word, Iran is well connected to AsiaEuro continent historically, geographically and culturally. Iran is holding the position of southwestern gate of the continent, and has contributed greatly in preventing the West from penetrating into Central Asia and the heartland of the continent. The connections are worth re-evaluating, and its geostrategic role should never be underestimated.

Last but not the least, it should be certain that Iran’s reengagement with AsiaEuro continent is not only the return of history but also in accordance with the historical trend of the rise of AsiaEuro continent. However, it should always be noted that Iran’s reengagement should never be smooth. The future of the reengagement will depend not only on whether major powers on the Eurasian continent can provide stronger support but also on the internal political adjustments within Iran. This includes whether Iran can build a broad domestic consensus on further integrating into the continent and consistently advance this process. 

Dr. Jin Liangxiang is director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS).