Tibet Leader Fears China Gains as US Gets Caught Up in Iran War

The head of Tibet’s government-in-exile said his administration is closely monitoring whether the escalating war in Iran may give China room to deepen its interests on the Himalayan plateau and other regional flashpoints.

​Penpa Tsering, the elected leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, said observers are gauging whether the conflict could dilute US focus on Asia and embolden China in Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. Tibet, he added, remains another critical frontier that has faced decades of Chinese militarization.