The power dynamics in the Middle East after Qassim Soleimani’s death are likely to be redrawn between Iran, China, and Russia vis-a-vis the United States. Added to this paradigm is Iraq—sandwiched between the United States and Iran and increasingly being pushed toward China, according to geopolitical analysts who study the region.
“Frankly, the Iranian government will remain closer to Beijing than ever before. Because Tehran knows well that Russia could not be the only balance of power vis-à-vis the American hegemony in the Middle East,” Esra Serim, a Turkish analyst based in France, told The Epoch Times in an email.
Serim believes that Tehran needs the presence and support of both Russia and China following Soleimani’s death to “counterbalance Washington and Tel-Aviv in the region.”
“In addition to the economic relationship between Iran and Russia/China, Tehran also has robust military relationships with them, such as transference of military technology and equipment, and even infrastructure services to Iran’s nuclear facilities,” she said of the already existing relationship.
Kanishkan Sathasivam, a Massachusetts based Geopolitical analyst, told The Epoch Times that he expects a notable improvement in Iran’s relationship with China after Soleimani’s death, but it’s Iraq that is a greater emerging opportunity for both China and Russia.
David Adams
Article URL : https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-russia-and-us-new-power-equations-in-middle-east-after-soleimanis-death_3198555.html