Who is the Yuan Shao of the Middle East? Saudi Arabia, not Iran.

In the past two years, the whole internet has been labeling Iran as “self-sacrificing for great causes, forgetting righteousness for small gains.” Last year, when I spoke up for Iran during the conflicts, I was called a “cult member and fanatic.”
Today, looking again—Trump’s figure is $5 trillion: either the Gulf monarchs pay up to let him continue fighting, or $2.5 trillion to cover U.S. military expenses. And Iran? A semi-disabled body under decades of sanctions, challenging the world’s strongest + 1.5 nuclear-armed countries, holding out for a month, retaliating with damage, and even slapping the surrounding Gulf monarchs in the face.

What is this called? This is called the power of united front strategy. If you must judge by some people’s standards—fighting back and forth with the U.S. for a year and a half is considered brave—then no country on Earth qualifies. Honestly, the term “united front value” itself carries a sense of great power superiority: demanding high-end standards from a street stall, and criticizing it as hopeless if it can’t meet those standards? That’s not objectivity; that’s hooliganism.

If we’re talking about Yuan Shao, then Saudi Arabia is it. U.S. media reports that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been urging Trump to confront Iran, even teaming up with Israel to push the U.S. into a big hole. Even now, Saudi Arabia is still urging “absolutely must not stop.” Why? Because Saudi fears—fears that if Iran doesn’t fall, their Shia revolution inside the country will erupt; fears that resistance fighters will steal the Arab banner; fears that the two straits will forever be in Iran’s hands.

What about Iran-Saudi reconciliation? That’s tactical easing, not strategic decision-making. What Saudi wants is: to use the U.S. to weaken Iran, even knowing that Israel’s next target might be itself. They bet they can be the “conductor” in the “Snowpiercer”—helping rulers clear out the lower classes to stay alive. Iran has finally learned to be smart: negotiations shouldn’t start with money. How was the Korean War fought? Fighting while negotiating, defeating fake armies and concluding the war. If Iran can learn this approach, even if they don’t ultimately win, they will still be honorable in defeat.