Former CIA Official Highlights Trump's Move: If China Joins, the War Could End

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Amid the increasingly complex vortex of the Middle East conflict, a startling claim has emerged from a former US intelligence official. If there is indeed an agreement between Washington and Beijing, the direction of the war could change drastically, even ending sooner than many had anticipated.

Former CIA counterterrorism official John Kiriakou mentioned the possibility of a “handshake deal” between Donald Trump and the Chinese government that could significantly alter the conflict’s dynamics.

In a statement on a podcast, Kiriakou cited Trump’s claim made via his social media platform. The US President stated that he had reached an initial understanding with Beijing to no longer supply weapons to Iran.

“The President announced that he had reached some sort of handshake deal with the Chinese side and that the Chinese side would not provide weapons to Iran,” Kiriakou said in a podcast reported by Fox News.

Further, he added a statement that has sparked widespread attention: “If that’s true, then it’s all over.”

This statement is more than mere rhetoric. In the current conflict map, Iran plays a key role as one of the main actors involved directly or indirectly in various fronts in the region.

If the arms supply route to Tehran is truly cut off, Iran’s operational capabilities, both directly and through proxy groups, could weaken significantly.

On the other hand, Trump’s claim also touches on another strategic point: the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway is one of the vital arteries of global energy trade, through which about one-third of the world’s oil supply passes every day.

In his statement, Trump claimed that China supports his move to ensure that route remains open, even permanently.

“I’m doing this for them too, and for the world. This situation will never happen again,” Trump wrote, adding that China has agreed not to send weapons to Iran.