Exclusive | Could China’s rare earth supplies dictate how long US strikes on Iran go on?

The American military’s dependence on Chinese sources gives Beijing leverage in the lead-up to Trump’s trip, sources say 3 -MIN READ3 -MIN Dewey Simin Beijing Published: 11:00pm, 10 Mar 2026 The US war against Iran may have handed Beijing some fresh rare earths leverage over Washington, with roughly three weeks until US President Donald Trump’s expected visit to China. Washington’s heavy reliance on the Chinese minerals for its advanced weapon systems means China could dictate how long US strikes on Iran can go on, according to sources and analysts. Sources told the South China Morning Post, on condition of anonymity…