Iran-Russia Energy diplomacy: Grounds for Convergence and Divergence

The present paper aims to answer three key questions: What is the meaning and functions of energy diplomacy? What are components, opportunities and challenges of Iran’s and Russia’s energy diplomacies? What grounds are there for convergence or divergence between Iran and Russia in this regard?In the first part, the concept and function of energy diplomacy is explored through a theoretical approach. In the second part, a comparative approach is taken to study opportunities and challenges facing energy diplomacies of Iran and Russia. Then grounds for cooperation and convergence between these two countries in various energy fields including oil and gas as well as the competition and divergence resulting from conflicting interests are discussed and solutions for increasing cooperation are provided. A combination of the above theoretical and comparative methods will show that factors affecting energy diplomacies of Iran and Russia and their various components cannot be considered separate from large-scale regional and global trends and are both influenced by those trends and influence them. The present paper assumes that energy diplomacies of Iran and Russia are not convergent at bilateral level and despite grounds for convergence, there are also various reasons for divergence.