According to a report in The Epoch Times (Israel), based on sources within China’s political system, the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is viewing the developments in Iran not only as a regional crisis but as an ideological and political threat that could echo inside China itself.
The report says that the US-Israel campaign against Iran and the reports of the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have shaken Beijing. Chinese officials fear the developments could trigger a chain reaction that might destabilize not only the Middle East but also authoritarian regimes more broadly.
One source inside China’s political system said that since the start of the military campaign, several secret meetings of the Politburo — the country’s top decision-making body — have been held to discuss the situation in Iran and its possible consequences. During those discussions, senior officials were reportedly instructed to revisit the lessons of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
A key concern in Beijing, according to the report, is that the anti-government protests seen in Iran earlier this year could become an inspirational precedent for frustrated Chinese citizens. Officials worry about a possible “demonstration effect,” where unrest abroad encourages domestic dissent.