Trump and Xi Jingping summit: How are the United States and China redefining their relationship?

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As tensions over trade, Taiwan, technology, and global influence intensify, the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping may determine the future balance of power between Washington and Beijing. By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Sulaimani, Iraq | 13 May 2026 — Kurdish Policy Analysis "We don't have permanent allies and we don't have permanent enemies, only our interests are permanent, and we have to follow them." – Henry John Temple. The root of the current Strait of Hormuz tensions is not only about shipping routes or oil prices, but also about the final collapse of the historical US concept towards Beijing. However, the 2025 National Security Strategy, released by the White House in November, says this was a historic mistake because China used the assets it accumulated to strengthen itself and compete with the West, not to become their partner. For many years, the United States alone maintained maritime security; The fifth US ship in Manama, Bahrain, worked only to keep o...

Iran’s Silent Expansion in Kurdistan: The Strategy No One Is Talking About

 Tehran is reshaping influence in Iraqi Kurdistan through indirect power, not open conflict.


Kurdish Policy Analysis- Iran’s influence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is often discussed in terms of security threats and border tensions. However, a deeper and more strategic shift is underway—one that relies less on military confrontation and more on political, economic, and proxy leverage.

Recent Kurdish political discourse highlights how Tehran has gradually expanded its influence through aligned actors within Iraq’s political system. Rather than direct intervention, Iran’s approach is increasingly subtle: shaping decision-making processes in Baghdad that directly affect Erbil.

Energy politics plays a central role. Control over trade routes, border crossings, and informal economic networks allows Iran to maintain pressure without escalation. Kurdish analysts argue that this strategy ensures long-term leverage while avoiding international backlash.

At the same time, divisions within Kurdish political factions create openings for external influence. Competing priorities between major parties weaken unified responses to regional pressure.

Bottom line: This suggests Iran is not seeking short-term dominance but long-term structural influence—embedding itself into the political and economic fabric of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.

#Kurdistan #Iran #Geopolitics

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