Much has been made of the emerging alliance among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. But the recent strikes on Iran highlight its limits.

China, heavily dependent on Middle East oil, has tried to cast itself as a peacemaker. But in the Israel-Iran war, Washington emerged as the real power broker.

But that is what happened in the middle of the night on June 23rd, the 12th day of a war between Israel and Iran. Donald Trump announced the end of the war on social media (where else?), saying that the combatants had begged him to make peace.