“Pakistan is a sort of half-assed client state.”
Becoming less ‘half-assed’ by the day.
Iran’s worth to China depends on accessibility. No path through Kashmir means Iran is not eorth much to China.
Actually I’m all in favor of China taking lead in the ME. They can profit there, whereas we no longer can.
The path from China to Iran runs through Afghanistan, or through Pakistan, or Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Kashmir doesn't enter into it.