China's inaction on Iran has 'undermined' its influence in the Middle East, analyst says
China's restrained silence on the Middle East conflict is tipping the scales of regional influence back in the U.S.' favor, according to one analyst. "[Beijing's] role has been less pronounced than many expected, and actually I think it's undermined the sense of growing Chinese influence and confidence in the region," Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the Middle East & North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said on CNBC's "Street Signs" Tuesday. "Really, what we've seen is the dominant positions of the U.S. and the Iranians in trying to shape dynamics and shifting the security environment in a way that does affect those economic and energy markets." Last week, world leaders entreated China to use its considerable influence as a key trade part
