The U.S.-Iran war has now dragged on for over a month, sending shockwaves across the globe. In this episode, Prof. Da Wei, Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), and Prof. Shao Yuqun, Director of the Institute for Hong Kong and Macao Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), sits down with Prof. John Gong from the University of International Business and Economics. Prof. Gong draws on his experience living and working in both the United States and Israel to provide in-depth analysis of the current situation. The discussion focuses on the military and energy stalemate one month after the U.S.-Israeli "Epic Fury" operation against Iran, examining the trajectory of the conflict, its impact on the global economy, the prospects for U.S. policy, and China’s strategic options.
01:37 Conflict trajectory and the US-Israel strategic goals
10:01 U.S. endgame and the risk of a “military quagmire”
16:05 Military strikes and Iran’s nuclearization
19:18 Impact on the global economy and global petroleum reserves
30:02 Fractures in the Transatlantic relationship
32:58 The Middle East conflict and the situation in Ukraine
36:38 A “Suez Moment” for American hegemony?
40:10 China’s role and mediation efforts