Chinese mainstream media coverage of Iran: an exploratory analysis (2013-2019)

China proposed the “Belt and Road” initiative in 2013, which received positive responses from many countries around the world and became one of the hot spots in domestic and overseas reports. Iran is China's important strategic partner in West Asia. China and Iran have always maintained good-neighborly and friendly exchanges. This paper selects six mainstream media in mainland China (People's Daily, Xinhua, China Network, China Daily, China News Agency, and CCTV) reported on Iran from September 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019. Based on the statistical analysis of the communicators and communication regulation, content and text discourse, channel layout and reporting capacity, and presentation mode of Iranian reports, this paper summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the mainstream media in mainland China in foreign reports. In the future, it will strive to be more balanced and diversified in the reporting theme, more in-depth and insightful in the content, and use scientific and technological innovation in the reporting form.