iGlobeViews: Weekly Vodcast

Editor-in-Chief, Diana Mautner Markhof, discusses with top China expert Professor Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik, the future of Europe and the EU. Will it find a path towards unity and relevance or remain divided and irrelevant? Why does Europe need Russia as an enemy? Is there a third way becoming apparent? The recent vote in Bulgaria would argue for this. How should the EU deal with Turkey? Is Ursula von der Leyen really the right person for the job? How is the EU dealing with the blatant double standard when dealing with Israel? Why can it not come to decision to suspend the EU Israel Association Agreement? Compare this to how Russia was treated after it invaded Ukraine. Why are European countries cracking down on freedom of speech and assembly? The power of the Brussels swamp and the unelected EU leadership are more and more disconnected from the average citizen. Will EU enlargement not lead to even more division among member states? Can the EU use its economic power to regain relevance? Who will lead the EU as the US pulls back?

Editor-in-Chief, Diana Mautner Markhof, discusses with top China expert Professor Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik, the divergent visions for the future of the Middle East. Will Israel and the US reach their goal to install Israel as the dominant power. Will Israel realize its goal of a Greater Israel? Will the US put pressure on Israel so peace can be reached? Israel does not want to stop fighting Iran and the Israeli public wants this war. How is China working for its own vision which of course does not coincide with that of the US or of Israel. The US is becoming more and more isolated and is looking for peace. Is Europe moving closer to China? Can Türkiye become a dominant power in the Middle East? How does NATO figure into this equation? Will the leadership in the US take the wishes of the American public into consideration – a majority is against the war in Iran? How will China work its diplomacy to get the Strait of Hormuz open? Will Iran close the Strait of Bab el Mandab if tensions escalate?

Diana Mautner Markhof, discusses with Professor Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik, China’s vision for a new world order. Can the world expect to kowtow to China, or will China seek to lead through cooperation and diplomacy? Or maybe some of each? China is a driving force in pushing for peace in Iran. It is in a unique position to influence US policy at the highest level. China has many aces up it sleeve when it comes to power politics. What will happen to the US economy if China continues the sale of T-bills? Will China use its leverage in rare earths to help solve the Iran problem? What can we learn from China’s history when trying to understand how China deals with present challenges? How will China solve the Taiwan issue? Will President Xi consider a military solution under any circumstances? How close are we to a nuclear war? Can China also influence Israel? How will the relationship between Russia and China, and China and the US evolve due to the Iran war? How long will President Xi remain in power and what should the world expect from China moving forward?

Has Trump been out-trumped by Iran? Why did the US get into the war? Is there a security interest for the US which justifies this war, or, is the US fighting Israel’s war? How will the Palestinian question figure into any solution to the Iran war? Will the US find an exit strategy or will the US continue to escalate? What will happen to the US allies in Europe and East Asia who are suffering because of the world wide energy crisis? Will the Gulf countries survive if this war escalates? Can a diplomatic solution be found, or will China and Russia join the war openly and more actively in support of Iran? What does history teach us about asymmetric wars? Will Iran end up developing a nuclear bomb?

Diana Mautner Markhof, discusses with Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik how the Iran war will impact the future of BRICS. Before the war BRICS was on the rise with 40+ countries waiting to join. This war highlights the deep political divide within the anti-western bloc. BRICS has not managed to issue a common statement condemning the war against Iran, a BRICS member.

India holds the Presidency of BRICS in 2026. Just days before the bombing of Iran, Prime Minister Modi addressed the Israeli Knesset as a guest of honor. Was this part of the preparation to go to war? On 19 February 2026, Jakarta signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade in Washington. Was this an effort by the Trump Administration to silence an important BRICS player by restraining its foreign policy autonomy? Is Israel using the war on Iran to distract from its genocide in Gaza and its ongoing violence and occupation in the West Bank? Has Egypt been silenced by the billions it receives from the US in military and economic support? Will the Iran war break the dominance of the petrodollar? Can the Chinese digital Yuan (e-CNY) play a role? What if Saudi Arabia actively joins the war on the US/Israeli side? South Africa, an outspoken critic of the US/Israeli war on Iran has been uninvited from the G7 – coincidence? What role are Russia and China playing?

During this episode iGlobenews Editor-in-Chief, Diana Mautner Markhof, and China expert Professor Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik discuss how the war in Iran affects the war in Ukraine and vis-versa. Will the escalation in Iran bring about an escalation in Ukraine? Has peace in Ukraine moved even further into the future or will there be a speedy push to end the war? Is Ukraine’s corruption being instrumentalized to end the war? Has Russia’s position changed since the US/Israeli attack on Iran? Will China’s role in Ukraine change as a result of the war in Iran? Will Russia benefit from the US and its disregard for international law? How will the economic fallout of the US/Israeli war in Iran benefit Russia? What new security arrangements? Looking at history, what are the parallels/lessons for Ukraine and Iran? Has the US learned nothing from its policy of regime change in Ukraine and Iran?

iGlobenews Editor-in-Chief, Diana Mautner Markhof, discusses current events and world politics with China expert Professor Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik. How has and will the US/Israeli war in Iran influence China, Russia, US relations? Who will gain? Who will lose? Whata will the new world order look like? Will Iran want nuclear weapons after being attacked twice within a year? What will happen to the NPT? How will the EU position itself?