One of the biggest stories from the war in Iran was the global energy markets’ unusually muted response. A Kind of NeutralityChina’s position in the Middle East stands in stark contrast to that of the United States. But brief glimpses of China’s other aims, such as an impossibly intractable situation for the United States, have been glimpsed at times, albeit briefly. Iran is reportedly set to receive up to 400 Chinese shoulder-fired air defense missile launchers, commonly called MANPADS. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States.