Donald Trump is talking tough again, but this time his sharpest warning isn’t for Tehran – it’s for Beijing. On camera, the U.S. President claimed America has “already won” against Iran militarily, even as JD Vance returned from 21 hours of failed talks in Pakistan with no deal and no roadmap out of the crisis. While Vance says Iran “chose not to accept our terms,” Trump is now zeroing in on reports that China may be preparing to ship air defence systems and other weapons to Iran, warning that Beijing will face “big problems” if it arms Tehran. In this video, we unpack whether Trump’s real fear is a growing China–Iran axis rather than Iran alone, and how that could reshape the next phase of this standoff. From failed diplomacy in Islamabad and a fragile ceasefire, to U.S. intelligence leaks about Chinese weapons and Trump’s claim that “we win regardless,” we break down what this means for the Strait of Hormuz, regional security, and great-power rivalry.
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