Riyadh wants US nuclear technology and deeper security ties without surrendering its biggest diplomatic card — normalization with Israel. Gaza, Iran and China are reshaping the bargain and giving Mohammed bin Salman greater room to tell Washington where American influence ends.
China rejects Trump’s new secondary sanctions and vows to protect its economic ties with Tehran — Iranian oil, Chinese banks and the dollar system are turning the U.S.–Iran confrontation into a potentially explosive test of U.S.–China relations
Scott Bessent is expected to unveil the new U.S. economic offensive on Monday, as Washington targets Tehran’s oil lifelines, shadow finance and foreign trading partners — with China and the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the battle.
