IRANIAN CITIES BURN AMID REBELLION

[Dr Strangelove]

The United States has reportedly suspended all funding and security coordination with the Iraqi government and has halted dollar shipments to Iraq's central banking system, according to Saudi channel Al-Hadath.

Washington says the suspension will remain in effect until a new Iraqi government is formed and Baghdad provides information on pro-Iranian militia members who have attacked U.S. targets in Iraq.

Iraq's economy is 90% dependent on oil revenue paid in dollars into a Federal Reserve account in New York. Every month, Baghdad flies in $1-2 billion in cash from that account to pay salaries and conduct government functions. Cutting dollar access means the Iraqi government cannot operate—salaries go unpaid, the dinar collapses, and the state grinds to a halt.

Iraq is currently forming a new government after November 2025 elections. The U.S. threatened in January to suspend engagement if any of 58 pro-Iranian MPs were included in the cabinet. Now Trump is enforcing that ultimatum while Iraq remains paralyzed between Washington and Tehran.

Washington invaded Iraq, destroyed its economy, controls its oil revenue through the New York Fed, and is now starving the government until it picks a cabinet the White House approves.

[Dr Strangelove]

Economic Dependency and Risk (1:46 - 4:40): China is Iran's primary oil customer, importing roughly 25% of its daily oil consumption from the Middle East. The disruption caused by the conflict—specifically the threat to the Strait of Hormuz—directly harms China's economy, leading Beijing to desire a swift end to the fighting.
• The China Paradox (4:41 - 5:09): Despite the economic damage, China sees a strategic opportunity. The conflict provides a window for Beijing to present itself as a stable, diplomatic, and responsible "global grown-up," contrasting its approach with the perceived unpredictability of the United States.
• Reshaping Global Alliances (5:10 - 9:50): The video argues that the U.S. war on Iran is unintentionally alienating traditional American allies and partners. China is capitalizing on this diplomatic space to deepen its own economic and political ties across the Middle East, including through massive infrastructure investments and export growth.
• Long-term Ambitions (9:51 - 11:25): Ultimately, China is playing a delicate game. While it may benefit from seeing the U.S. bogged down in a costly conflict, China relies on the stability of the current world order to maintain its position as the "world's factory floor." Excessive global instability risks the very trade and supply chains that sustain China's own economic success.

[Dr Strangelove]

During talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations in Pakistan, the topic of Ukraine unexpectedly came up.
While discussing U.S. guarantees in the event that Iran halts uranium enrichment and abandons the development of nuclear weapons, the Iranian side asked how the United States is fulfilling the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which it pledged to respect and protect Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The U.S. delegation left the question unanswered.

China, UAE/Saudi Arabia or the EU are the only ones that have any credibility at the table. All the US can do is bark. The US needs at least ONE of these to be onside to be a guarantor and they have pissed in everyone's cornflakes and called it OJ.