“What we’re witnessing now is the natural dynamics of a Middle East that no longer has an American military presence,” says Joel Rubin, former State Department deputy assistant.
A NEW MIDDLE EAST: Why is China suddenly involved?
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, left, shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in an official welcoming ceremony in Beijing, Feb. 14, 2023. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP, File)