Chairing a United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran on Wednesday, the president found himself alone among the 5 permanent Security Council members in supporting harsher policies toward the Islamic Republic. This isolation was expected. Still, it’s worth digging into why the world is so uninterested in the Trump administration’s strategy on Iran. Because that opposition has more nuanced motivations than some perceive.

First off, let’s consider China and Russia. These states are essentially unconcerned by aggressive Iranian activities because those activities pose little difficulty to their interests. Indeed, Vladimir Putin sees Iranian feuding with Saudi Arabia and Israel as an opportunity to assume a more dominant position as a Middle Eastern power broker. But Iran is also seen as a potential windfall opportunity. Whether in long term energy or telecommunications investments, Beijing and Moscow see Iran as a place to make money while fraying U.S.-led international order and influence in the Middle East. It’s a double win!