China gains major edge over US amid Iran war: Report

China is emerging as one of the biggest geopolitical beneficiaries of the ongoing war with Iran, a confidential US intelligence assessment concluded, leveraging the conflict to expand its military, economic and diplomatic influence, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The newspaper, citing two US officials familiar with the assessment, said the classified analysis was prepared this week for Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine by the Joint Staff’s intelligence directorate. The assessment reportedly has heightened concern inside the Pentagon as US President Donald Trump prepares for sensitive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The report uses the Pentagon’s “DIME” framework — evaluating diplomatic, informational, military and economic dimensions of national power — to analyze Beijing’s response to the conflict that erupted after US and Israeli operations against Iran began on Feb. 28.

Among the report’s conclusions is that China has moved quickly to strengthen ties with Gulf nations unsettled by Iranian missile and drone attacks on military installations and oil infrastructure. Beijing has reportedly increased weapons sales to US allies in the region seeking to bolster their air defenses and secure critical facilities.

At the same time, China has positioned itself as an economic stabilizer after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted a major artery for global energy supplies. According to the intelligence assessment, Beijing has assisted countries struggling with fuel shortages and price spikes caused by the interruption of roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments.

The report also warns that the prolonged conflict has significantly depleted American weapons stockpiles, including precision-guided munitions and air defense systems considered essential in any future confrontation with China over Taiwan.

According to the report, Beijing has incorporated popular criticisms of the war into its public messaging, labeling the conflict “illegal.”