Chinese Social Media Video on China-Iran Railway: This Pierces the U.S.-Led Global Order, Undermines the U.S. Dollar, Reshapes the Global Balance of Power
On June 1, 2025, user 'etr White Sheep' on the Chinese video platform Haokan posted a video titled 'The First Chinese Freight Train Enters Iran! A Crack in U.S. Sanctions.' In the video, the narrator says that on May 31, 2025 the first Chinese freight train loaded with mechanical equipment arrived in Tehran. She said that the railway freight cycle between China and Iran is 15 days, compared to 35 days by sea, and that this 'pierces the U.S.-led global order.' She said that according to World Bank estimates, the China-Iran railway is expected to deliver an annual freight volume of 12 million tons, and that rail transport costs are lower than sea transport. In addition, she said that China and Iran have implemented a local currency settlement, bypassing the international SWIFT system and undermining the hegemony of the U.S. dollar. She asserted that this rail line reshapes the global balance of power, and she said that Russia is negotiating to join the China-Iran railway to link Siberian resources with the Indian market, aiming to build a 'Eurasian land bridge... rewriting the rules of the game.' She added: 'When railways, pipelines, and fiber optics form new arteries across Eurasia, the U.S. will no longer be able to choke global trade with a few warships. This quiet revolution is destined to usher humanity into a new multipolar era.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Ukraine targets Russian Su-34 jets in rare long-range strike
Shafaq News – Kyiv/ Moscow Ukraine struck four Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers at Marinovka airbase in southwestern Russia over the weekend, in one of Kyiv's deepest reported air attacks since the start of the war. The airbase, located near Volgograd and roughly 900 kilometers from Ukrainian-held territory, was targeted in a long-range operation confirmed by Ukraine's armed forces. Kyiv did not specify the weapon system used. Ukraine's air force also reported it intercepted 359 out of 363 drones and six of eight missiles launched during an overnight Russian barrage, underscoring the continuing intensity of aerial combat between the two sides. Military officials in Kyiv claimed Russia has lost over 100,000 personnel since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, alongside 11,000 tanks and more than 42,500 drones. "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."Lou HoltzThe combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to June 28, 2025. — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 28, 2025 Meanwhile, Russia's state-run TASS news agency announced that Russian forces had captured the village of Nova Kruhlyakivka in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region. The report has not been independently verified. A separate Russian strike damaged a major power facility in Ukraine's southern Kherson province, triggering blackouts across several towns, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Russia's Western Group of Forces also announced that its troops had eliminated more than 210 Ukrainian soldiers in recent operations. The unit's press chief, Ivan Bigma, said air defense systems shot down 14 Ukrainian drones and destroyed multiple armored vehicles. Officials in Russia's Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, said a Ukrainian drone attack injured a Chinese war correspondent from Phoenix TV, a state-run broadcaster. Russian authorities urged the United Nations to respond, calling the incident a threat to international media.
Iraqi News
13 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq secures $930 million from World Bank to modernize railways
Baghdad ( – The World Bank has approved $930 million in financing to upgrade Iraq's railway network, aiming to improve trade, create jobs, and support economic diversification. The Iraq Railways Extension and Modernization (IREM) Project will overhaul 1,047 kilometers of rail lines from Umm Qasr Port to Mosul via Baghdad, cutting travel time, increasing freight volumes, and expanding access to sustainable transport. The investment supports Iraq's broader Development Road initiative, which seeks to turn the country into a key trade corridor linking the Gulf to Europe through Turkey. Years of underfunding and disrepair have left Iraq's railway system struggling, making this upgrade critical to improving national and regional connectivity. The project includes modernizing infrastructure, refurbishing locomotives, rebuilding the Baiji maintenance facility, and improving safety standards. It also aims to involve the private sector in building dry ports and logistics hubs, while generating thousands of skilled jobs. An international firm will assist in managing implementation to ensure capacity building and efficiency. By 2037, the revitalized railway is expected to transport over 6 million tons of freight and nearly 3 million passengers annually, benefiting 17 million people across eight governorates. The shift from trucks to trains is expected to reduce road damage and cut maintenance costs. Over 3,000 construction jobs will be created during implementation, with nearly 22,000 annual jobs projected by 2040 as operations expand.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Shafaq News
India awaits delayed S-400 deliveries as strategic talks with Russia continue
Shafaq News – New Delhi/Moscow India is expected to receive the final two squadrons of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system by 2026 and 2027, respectively, according to Indian defence sources cited by national media. The delivery timeline marks a significant delay from the original 2023 deadline outlined in the $5.43 billion agreement signed in 2018. The Times of India said that so far, New Delhi has received and deployed three S-400 squadrons along its northwestern and eastern borders, where they are positioned to counter potential threats from both Pakistan and China. Each squadron includes two missile batteries equipped with long-range radar, mobile launchers, and up to 128 missiles capable of intercepting aerial threats at ranges between 120 and 380 kilometers. The delivery setbacks have been attributed to logistical and production disruptions linked to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Still, Indian defence officials have stressed the system's critical role in the country's integrated air defence network, where it serves as a key outer shield coordinated through the Indian Air Force's command and control system. Against this backdrop, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held high-level talks with his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov, on June 26 on the sidelines of the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, China. While framed as part of routine bilateral engagement, the meeting has been viewed as a strategic push to reinforce military ties and assess the resilience of defence cooperation amid global pressures. The partnership continues despite the US repeatedly warning that countries trading with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors risk automatic sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). In 2018, Washington imposed sanctions on China's military for acquiring combat aircraft and the S-400 system from Russia. Nevertheless, New Delhi has maintained that bolstering its defence capabilities remains a strategic priority, and that its decisions are driven by national security considerations rather than geopolitical alignments.
