John Lee appears on Taiwan Talks to discuss how the Iran war is offering a real-time stress test for a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Despite the United States's overwhelming military power, Iran has demonstrated how a weaker actor can impose costs, threaten distant bases, and exploit escalation dynamics.
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An oil tanker is being unloaded with imported crude oil at the Qingdao Port Oil Terminal in Shandong Province, China on April 7, 2026. (Getty Images)