The Houthis, the Iran-backed militia that controls much of Yemen, have disrupted the global economy by firing on commercial ships traveling through the Red Sea.
But the Houthis have made some exceptions: Ships from China and Russia are allowed to pass without being attacked.
This policy, formalized with a diplomatic agreement last month, is the latest sign that the world has entered a new period of great power politics.
On the other side are China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as well as Iran-backed groups like the Houthis.
These authoritarian powers “are more and more aligned,” Jens Stoltenberg, the head of NATO, the Western alliance, told the BBC this week.
Persons:
” Jens Stoltenberg
Organizations:
NATO, BBC
Locations:
Iran, Yemen, China, Russia, United States, Japan, South Korea, Western Europe, Soviet Union, North Korea