What China is learning from the US war in Iran

PodcastsWhat China is learning from the US war in Iran US military vulnerabilities, the Taiwan Strait, and more.by Miles Bryan and Noel KingApr 30, 2026, 7:00 PM UTCShareGiftThe USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier conducts US blockade operations in the Arabian Sea on April 16, 2026. US Navy via Getty ImagesTwo months into the US-Iran war, the fighting has hardened into a standoff, with no end in sight. Both countries claim to have the upper hand, but there is only one clear winner so far — and it isn’t either of them.“China’s watching this war very closely,” James Palmer, deputy editor of Foreign Policy and author of its China Brief newsletter, tells Today, Explained co-host Noel King.Palmer talked with Noel about the lessons China is drawing from America’s military performance in Iran,…

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