Commentary
The recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, followed by U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, has created a strategic dilemma for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, unlike past Middle Eastern crises.
Smoke rises from the rubble of an Iranian state media building after an Israeli airstrike in Tehran, Iran, on June 16, 2025. Dubbed Operation Rising Lion, the attack aimed to degrade Iran’s offensive military capabilities and preventing the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Nikan/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Antonio Graceffo
Author
Antonio Graceffo, Ph.D., is a China economy analyst who has spent more than 20 years in Asia. Graceffo is a graduate of the Shanghai University of Sport, holds an MBA from Shanghai Jiaotong University, and studied national security at American Military University.
