Will China be the ultimate mediator in the Iran conflict? In this recent clip from Talking Geopolitics, GPF Chairman George Friedman joins host Christian Smith to discuss China’s weight in the negotiations, the power of economic pressure, and how bleak military realities in Iran are forcing a change in US strategy. This episode of Talking Geopolitics was released on April 14, 2026. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com/gpf-newsletter for a free download from our Special Collection on the Middle East. 0:00 Geopolitical Pressure and China's Role 04:02 The Military Realities of Iran 06:24 Leveraging Economic Dependencies 08:39 The Cost of Supporting Iran