Iran War Strengthens the Path to a Multipolar World……..by Ed. Sanjay Pandey

The geopolitical equations of West Asia have changed rapidly in recent years. Faced with a joint military offensive by the United States and Israel, Iran not only stood firm on the battlefield but also gained the strategic initiative. Behind this success lay not only Iran’s indigenous military capabilities, national unity, and decisive diplomacy, but also the support of a powerful partner—China.

The resilience demonstrated by the Iranian people and business community during recent conflicts, including the “12-Day War” and the “Ramadan War,” combined with China’s economic, technological, diplomatic, and humanitarian assistance, has contributed to the emergence of a new balance of power in the region. China’s role in supporting Iran, the expansion of its influence across the region, and the broader geopolitical shifts now unfolding suggest that the era of unquestioned American dominance may be gradually giving way to a new global order.

China's assistance to Iran spanned all levels, from the battlefield to reconstruction. First , China did not let Iran's economic lifeline be broken. Due to Western sanctions, many countries were afraid to buy Iranian oil , but China continued to be Iran's largest oil customer. China is the largest buyer of Iranian and Russian oil , and this trade through pipelines and sea routes did not dry up Iran's foreign exchange resources and the economy did not collapse even during the war.

At the same time , China gave very active diplomatic support to the ceasefire and the agreement. Indirect negotiations with the US were being held with the mediation of Pakistan , and China welcomed Iran's diplomatic perspective from the beginning. After the agreement was announced, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke by telephone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and praised the determination and responsible diplomatic stance of the Iranian government and people against repression.

He stressed the need for proper and full implementation of all the terms of the agreement and announced China's readiness to cooperate in this.

On the diplomatic front, China played a coordinating role with Russia. Both China and Russia welcomed the Islamabad agreement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the responsibility of the US and Israel to comply with the agreement .

The international community, including the support of the UN Security Council, should support this agreement , on which China and Russia agreed. Due to this political front, American attempts to isolate Iran failed.

China also announced its support for Iran and Lebanon in the post-war reconstruction period. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian made it clear that Beijing attaches high priority to post-war reconstruction and will soon send new humanitarian aid to improve the economic situation and people's living standards.

In addition , a $ 300 billion reconstruction fund is to be established under the Islamabad Agreement , in which China will also play an important role. China also provided significant assistance on the military-technical front . Through deep cooperation in air defense , drone technology , missile systems and cyber capabilities, Iran effectively challenged Israel's Iron Dome system by strengthening indigenous capabilities.

China is also Iran's key partner in building a digital future. At the recent BRICS Future Network Innovation Forum 2026 , Iran proposed a cooperation framework for developing Trusted Computing Power Networks, and this initiative was led by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Iran is expanding its capabilities in areas such as artificial intelligence , industrial Internet of Things , smart logistics , modern financial technology, etc. , and China is a key technological partner in this.

China’s expanding influence in Iran has not been limited to official diplomatic relations , but has also extended to the economy , technology , financial infrastructure and digital future. As soon as the Islamabad agreement was announced , Iran established high-level political coordination with China , Russia and Oman. Foreign Minister Araghchi, while briefing China’s Wang Yi on the details of the agreement , emphasized the strategic nature of Iran-China relations and thanked China for its support during the talks. The two countries discussed opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in energy , trade and investment .

This is evident from the vision of Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. He himself is Iran’s special representative for China , and he clearly stated that “if any regional group is formed in the future , China and Iran will be two definite and indispensable members.” In his view , “ China is unique for us. We must assure China that we are not just clients , but full partners.” This stance reflects the determination to move relations with China from general trade to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

In this context, Ghadir Ghiafeh, Vice President of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, underlined that the Iran-China Development Document should be prepared by understanding where China will reach by 2035 and 2050. Artificial intelligence , cutting-edge technology , electric vehicles – these are China’s priorities and Iran should formulate its industrial and trade policies in this direction .

This will make China consider the Iranian market a priority and Iran will make its place in China’s value chain. To give concrete form to this policy, a proposal was made to establish an ‘ Iran-China Cooperation Department ’ in special economic zones.

These zones will provide a safe and stable environment to increase exports and attract investment. Along with this , it was decided to establish an Iran-China Joint Investment Fund , through which China’s long-term capital participation can be ensured.

In addition , Isa Mansouri, head of the research center of the Iran Chamber, proposed to create a logistics town to streamline customs , transportation and economic transactions. With Chinese companies permanently stationed there, outsourcing will take place at the local level and Iran will become a supply bridge for China in East Asia.

It was suggested to set up a network by including a third country like Turkey, Pakistan or Qatar along with Iran-China in the petrochemical sector , so that Iran can become a commercial-industrial center. On the infrastructure front, Chabahar Port and Makran Oil Refining Project are two important projects.

The Mines and Minerals Commission identified 37 projects , out of which the development of Chabahar Port as an export hub , exploration of rare minerals , deep mining and supply of 25,000 mining machines – these four projects are important.

If China invests in Chabahar , Iran will become the commercial hub of West Asia and Eurasia. In addition , it was proposed to allow China to set up an oil refining plant on the Makran coast , where Iran would supply crude oil and China would transport the processed products itself ; this would guarantee China energy security and Iran would become an exporter of value-added products rather than raw materials. Technology transfer and institution building are also being given equal serious attention. The Industry Commission stressed that if government policy remains stable , laws are respected and peace prevails , domestic investors are ready to transfer technology rather than import components. It was demanded to establish a ‘ unified command ’ to take relations with China beyond financial assistance to a strategic level , so that centralised policy-making can take place without the emergence of parallel institutions. In the digital sector, Iran has shown active leadership on the BRICS platform . At the BRICS Future Network Innovation Forum, Iran put forward proposals for future digital infrastructure , reliable computing power networks, and cross-border industrial cooperation, and sought to establish itself as a regional technology partner.

This cooperation aims to go beyond mere exchange of ideas and directly lead to joint projects , test platforms and industrial applications. All of this was given political strength by Qalibaf's decisive statement.

" Now we must take the reins from the hands of the missile-firing youth and bring prosperity to the people, he said. He underlined the need for fundamental reforms in financial systems , logistics , transportation and infrastructure for economic cooperation with China.

"We must engage in a common ecosystem with China, from education to markets and supply chains ," his statement reflects the depth of cooperation. Saying that there is no manager who treats sanctions as a ' piece of paper ' , he added , " If lifting sanctions means surrender , we will never do it ; the Iranian people will die but will not surrender." Similarly, after the Islamabad agreement, Iran increased maritime security coordination with Oman. Both countries expressed their commitment to ensuring a safe and unimpeded passage for international maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait is crucial for global trade and energy security , and it also strengthens China's energy security.

With all these developments , the question naturally arises as to what is the future of America's unipolar dominance . This new strategic trilateral alliance of Iran-China-Russia is a strong sign of the decline of American dominance. First of all , the dollar weapon is no longer as effective as it used to be. America had surrounded many countries using the dollar as an economic weapon ; but with China-Iran trade starting to take place in Yuan-Rial and discussions on an alternative currency system in BRICS, the dollar's grip is loosening.

The Islamabad agreement required the US to release seized Iranian assets and lift the blockade of its ports , which is a form of retreat. On the other hand , the Shanghai Cooperation Organization , BRICS , Belt and Road – the multipolar organizations that have emerged as America’s alternative to NATO and the G- 7 – are gaining strength. Iran has become an active member of all these organizations , and the China-led digital infrastructure blueprint in the BRICS Future Network Forum is a direct challenge to American technological dominance.

On the military front too, the illusion of American invincibility has been shattered. When Iran compromised Israel's air defense system through drone and missile attacks , Israel's invincibility based on American weapons collapsed. Western technology is not the last , this was proven with the cooperation of China. In the ceasefire agreement, the US had to accept Iran's condition of forcing Israel to stop attacking Lebanon , which shows the limits of American diplomacy.

The economic and technological center is also shifting. The world’s largest manufacturing center is China , and China has taken the lead in AI , electric vehicles , quantum technology. Countries like Iran are now looking to China , not the US , for capital , technology, and future jobs . The articles reveal that Iran wants to insert itself into China’s value chain , and on the other hand, is charting a digital future through BRICS Plus. This is a major challenge to America’s position at the center of the global economy.

More importantly, the growing voice of the Global South is growing. China has made it clear that emerging markets are underrepresented in the United Nations and that the voice of the Global South should be heard more. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued a white paper on making global governance more just and balanced, saying , “ No matter how big or small , all countries are equal members of the international community.” The Iran-China partnership is a tangible pillar of this changing world order.

The foundation of a multipolar , rules-based but Western-free world order is being laid by rejecting the American unipolar system . Of course , American dominance will not become history overnight. America still has a vast military base , technological capabilities and the place of the dollar as a reserve currency. But the era of the unipolar world is definitely coming to an end , and a new multipolar system is emerging , as these events prove. The fact that America itself now has to compromise through Pakistan's mediation and commit to finding a comprehensive final solution within 60 days of the ceasefire is a clear sign of the relative decline of American dominance .

Ultimately , Iran’s success in the war against the US-Israeli bloc and the political gains it made through the Islamabad Accords would not have been possible without China’s steadfast and far-reaching support. China has made Iran a comprehensive strategic partner by providing economic lifelines , political security , technological cooperation , post-war reconstruction guarantees, and a shared digital future through platforms like BRICS .

In Qalibaf’s words , “ China and Iran have become definitive and indispensable members of any future regional grouping.” While American hegemony is not yet completely history , this new strategic alliance of Iran-China-Russia , the growing voice of the Global South , and the strengthening of multipolar institutions are undoubtedly undermining that hegemony.

June 23, 2026