China and Iran push public diplomacy, but will Beijing's soft power tactics work in the Islamic Republic?

As soon as Eva Liang stepped onto the streets of Tehran, Iran's capital, she knew her adventure in the Middle Eastern country would be completely different from what she had learned from books, the media and other people's travel stories. During her trip through Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Kashan and Yazd, she was warmly welcomed by locals and invited to take selfies. Free tea and hookah sessions often followed. More surprisingly, she saw Iranian people openly discussing politics in cafes and squar

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