The War Against Iran’s Jihadis: What’s Xi Got to Do With It?

For nearly half a century, Iran’s rulers have promised “Death to America.” It wasn’t just a chant — it was a policy. From the 1979 hostage crisis to terrorist attacks that killed hundreds of Americans, the Islamic Republic has spent decades waging a shadow war against the United States. Now Washington is confronting Iran’s jihadist regime more directly — raising a larger question: what role might Xi Jinping’s China play in the conflict? Cliff May sits down with former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency David Shedd to examine the long war against Tehran’s jihadist rulers — and why Beijing may have more at stake than many realize.

You can listen to The War Against Iran’s Jihadis: What’s Xi Got to Do With It? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The War Against Iran’s Jihadis: What’s Xi Got to Do With It? is an episode from Foreign Podicy by FDD.

This episode is 01:02:53 long.

This episode was published on Mar 6, 2026.

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