Iran can only do this because China buys its oil and supplies it with manufactured goods enabling it to continue to function as an economy and source of funding for secondary military proxies. Iraqs oilfields are today mostly maintained and operated by Chinese companies...while Iran holds significant military influence within Iraqi militias. Now that N.Korea is proving Russia with troops the Chinese backed alliance that is attacking western targets is broad and dynamic. If elected Trump can be expected to give most of Ukraine to Putin and America can be expected to withdraw support for Europe. What happens in the middle east is anyones guess...but what is already apparent is that China is increasingly challenging the western led world order via its proxies...and the west appears, at best, divided in its response. A west that is divided between woke elements and populists is vulnerable to the Chinese backed military challenge that is now evident.