Iran served as a critical bridge in the ancient Silk Road, connecting the East and the West. It also has enormous potential to play a significant role in the new Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

With the threat of hot war almost a monthly occurrence, the Trump administration has unleashed economic warfare on Iran, as it has become clear: Iran is a significant piece of the BRI.

The assault of sanctions, launched after Washington’s unilateral pullout from the Iran nuclear deal, “should be interpreted as an advance gambit in the New Great Game at whose center lies in China’s New Silk Road–arguably the most important infrastructure project of the 21st century—and overall Eurasia integration,” said Pepe Escobar, a Brazilian journalist with focus on Central Asia and the Middle East.

Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs: China, Iran, & One Belt, One Road

The Trump administration’s economic warfare on Iran is evidence of how China’s New Silk Road, or BRI, threatens the American global hegemony.

As the Eurasian Integration is expanding, Iran has considerably boosted economic cooperation with China.

On Saturday, “China is ready to develop further cooperation with Iran and condemns the use of unilateral sanctions in international relations,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif.

“China attaches a great importance to Chinese-Iranian relations and is ready to continue developing mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Iran,” Wang said, as quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, adding that Beijing had opposed the use of unilateral sanctions in international relations.

In response to Washington’s precision-guided economic warfare and constant threats from the Trump administration, Iran’s defense minister just announced plans to unveil a new fighter jet this week and continue enhancing missile capabilities.

In other words, Iran is boosting its defense capabilities to protect the BRI from future American intervention in the region.

Brigadier General Amir Hatami said in a live TV program over the weekend that the fighter jet would fly on Wednesday, which marks Iran’s Defense Industry Day. “Our focus has been on priorities, with the top priority being the missile issue,” he said. “We are in a good position in this field, but we need to develop it.”

Hatami also elaborated on the recent unveiling of precision-guided ‘Fateh Mobin’ missile, stressing that new Iranian missiles will add to the country’s defenses.

“We have never sought and will never seek weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons due to our religious beliefs and as stated by Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei], but we will not allow a violation of our interests and are looking for peace,” he said. “We operate within the framework of Iran’s strategy based on active deterrence. Iran has never invaded a country, but anyone attempting to threaten our security will receive a decisive response,” he added.

Hatami said, “A plane, which has passed several stages, will be presented on the Defense Industry Day and people will see the fighter jet flying from a close distance as well as the equipment used for its manufacture.”

According to Press Tv, Iran recently made breakthroughs in its defense sector and achieved self-sufficiency in producing military equipment and hardware domestically, which has ultimately bypassed US sanctions and economic pressure on the country.

Hatami did not mention any detail about the new aircraft, but we have a hunch it could either one of these planes below:

As for the demolition of US global power, well, China and the BRI have made sure the collapse of American global hegemony has been accelerated. In the meantime, the chart below explains how the Trump admin has unleashed economic warfare on critical countries of the BRI, e.g., China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Russia. Notice how the countries are all along the BRI?

So, it all makes sense now, Make America Great Again really means destroying the countries underneath the BRI. Just look at what the US is doing to Turkey this month.