Position of Iran in China's Belt- Road Initiative and Its Impact on Regional Convergence

China's Belt-Road Initiative is quickly becoming one of the most ambitious international projects. Regardless of the great potential of the Belt- Road Initiative to shape international trade and, more broadly, international relations between participating countries and beyond that, scientific studies have so far largely neglected the question of how this initiative is associated with modern approaches to regionalism and regional integration. In this study, we analyzed the contexts in which the China’s Belt- Road Initiative through Iran's position can reinforce regional convergence in Southwest Asia. The main question of the present study is what effect does position of Iran in China’s Belt-Road Initiative has on convergence in Southwest Asia? In response to that question, it was argued that the communication and transportation position of Iran within China’s Belt-Road Initiative can provide the expansion of economic, infrastructural, and communication associations of convergence in Southwest Asia. As a result, by accomplishing the infrastructure projects, especially in the range of road and communications, Iran can improve its position as a go-between and hub of the region and lead to the development of convergence in the regions of Southwest Asia.