PodcastWTFinanceGlenn Diesen

China & Russia Backing Iran as BRICS Rebels Against US | Glenn Diesen

The conversation frames a systemic shift from U.S. unipolarity to an incoherent multipolar order, where NATO strains, dollar challenges and contestation over maritime chokepoints amplify geopolitical fragmentation. Guests warned that an entrenched hegemonic mindset and recent U.S. policy choices are accelerating partner drift while complicating Europe’s push for strategic autonomy and defense integration. Iran's framing of threats as existential, bolstered by Chinese and Russian military and surveillance support, constrains U.S. options around the Strait and elevates regional escalation risks as geoeconomic levers—especially energy ties with China and moves toward de‑dollarization—weaken U.S. influence.

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Key Takeaways

The world is undergoing an epochal shift from a US‑led unipolar order to an emergent, incoherent multipolarity that creates a legal and strategic vacuum—heightening the chance that slow or hegemonic Western responses will be confused or escalatory.

NATO is showing signs of fracture as European states push for 'strategic autonomy' and a political pathway exists for the US to reduce forward commitments, yet meaningful European defense integration faces concrete political, industrial, and leadership obstacles.

The US appears to have orchestrated European participation in a 2022 proxy posture against Russia but is now stepping back, a move that risks leaving Europe to manage consequences, exposing intra‑European competition and producing an embittered, damaged Russia.

Strategic maritime corridors and chokepoints have become central levers of influence—rising Chinese naval capacity, a Russian Arctic corridor, and Iranian control over the Strait raise the geopolitical value of sea lanes and complicate Western power projection.

GEO-POLITICS

Multipolar Shift — A transition from U.S. unipolarity to an incoherent multipolar order is creating a legal and strategic vacuum that demands fundamental changes in strategy, policy, military practice and diplomacy. Slow-to-adapt leaders risk producing confused or dangerous responses.

“But that multipolar order has not yet taken shape. A legal vacuum has emerged in which conflicting sides are competing to define the future.”—

NATO Strain — NATO is fracturing under internal contradictions while the dollar faces multi-directional challenges, producing parallel stresses on Western security architecture and U.S. monetary primacy.

“NATO is fracturing under the weight of its own contradictions. And the dollar's dominance is being challenged from multiple directions simultaneously.”—

Chokepoint Contest — Strategic transport corridors are becoming contested arenas—driven by a rising Chinese navy, a Russian Arctic route and Iranian leverage over the Strait—shifting influence away from the U.S. and elevating the geopolitical value of maritime chokepoints.

“The Chinese are building out a powerful navy. The Russians are developing this Arctic corridor in the Iranians want to assert control of the straight of Hermoose.”—

ECONOMY

Geoeconomic Erosion — The U.S. is losing control over post‑WWII geoeconomic pillars—tech leadership, resource access, maritime corridors and financial dominance—while new development banks and de‑dollarization erode financial leverage. U.S. measures, including a naval blockade on Iranian oil that constrains China's access to Iranian energy (about 90% of Iran's oil flows to China), allow Iran to monetize Strait transit and non‑dollar trade, increasing leverage and escalation risk.

“I mean the US has launched this economic war against the chi the Chinese now for years trying to destroy their technology centers sorry their technological advantage and now of…”—

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