July 19, 2023
Biden Needs to Deal with China’s Ever-Closer Ties to Iran
In February, President Ebrahim Raisi became the first Iranian president in more than 20 years to make a state visit to Beijing. During his three-day trip, Raisi signed 20 pacts with China, deepening ties between Beijing and Tehran while signaling a newfound resolve to resist a shared adversary and competitor: the West.
Unfortunately, Washington’s current defense strategy fails to account for the growing linkages between Iran and China.
Iran and China’s growing relationship is no longer a “what-if,” but a “what-do-we-do-now.”
To address this, the Biden administration should release a supplemental strategy to the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) that specifically acknowledges greater cooperation between Beijing and Tehran. Updating this policy would better enable U.S. government departments and agencies to address shifting national security challenges.
Read the full article from The Hill.
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