China joins the chessboard ahead of Iran-US talks
China is strategically influencing the upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks by strengthening its relationship with Tehran.
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Chinese officials won’t be present at the table during the first high-level meeting in nearly a decade between the United States and Iran, set to take place in Muscat this Saturday. But make no mistake: China has stacked the deck to play its leverage and shape the outcome of the negotiations.
US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will represent Washington and Tehran at the talks. The goal, as set by US President Donald Trump, is to reach a new deal prohibiting Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. “I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious (taking military action),” Trump said on Monday. The reported time frame is 60 days.
Yet China, Iran’s most powerful external backer, will have considerable influence over the structure and benchmarks of any agreement.
