The Rival It Needs: Why Washington Is Asking Beijing for Help.
The Trump administration has asked China to use its leverage over Iran — and that request says a lot about how the conflict is playing out.
According to the "Washington Post", US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, backed by the president, approached Chinese officials to ask them to pressure Iran's leadership. According to reports, Beijing has already conveyed the message to Tehran.
So an administration that has gambled heavily on pressure and military sanctions to get its way is now seeking diplomatic help from one of its main geopolitical rivals.
The move exposes the limits of what the US can achieve on its own. Despite its military and economic strength, Washington has to reckon with Iran's staying power - and with Tehran's control over regional security and global energy markets. This gives China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil and a country with its own direct channels to the leadership of the Islamic Republic, a role it cannot afford to ignore. This is not the first time either: Donald Trump already asked the Chinese chairman for help with Iran during the talks in September.
Essentially, the administration is admitting that it needs an outside mediator to resolve a conflict that could not be ended through force and sanctions alone. And the fact that it is turning to China - a country it simultaneously sees as its main strategic competitor - makes the admission even more humiliating.
Still, China's willingness to convey a message to Tehran is a long way from Iran agreeing to America's terms.
Outside of China awkward negotiations.
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