The international order stands at a crossroads: either the world upholds multilateral mechanisms under the UN framework, or it allows U.S. unilateralism to plunge the world into broader turmoil, with Iran being just the tip of the iceberg of a systemic collapse, an Iranian expert warned.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Hamzeh Safavi, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Tehran, said the United Nations was founded to restrain unilateralism through multilateral mechanisms
"In my view, tensions between Iran and the U.S. are rooted in a much broader tension within the international system itself. After the catastrophic experiences of World War I (WWI) and WWII, the international community reached the conclusion that in order to prevent such disasters from recurring; it was necessary to submit to a mechanism known as the United Nations. The idea was that countries should not act unilaterally or outside a shared framework, but rather base their actions on collective wisdom. The goal of that framework was for states to resolve disputes through rules and cooperation, rather than through war, bloodshed, and barbaric behavior, and to encourage a more civilized conduct in the international system," Safavi said.
In the expert's view, the current U.S.-Iran tension is, in essence, the erosion of the postwar international order by the United States. He warns that the world must now choose between two paths -- one rooted in multilateralism and order, the other shaped by U.S.-led interventions and deepening insecurity.
"Yet, in a short span of time, the U.S. has overturned all of this and is essentially saying that it does not recognize these mechanisms at all. The core of my argument is this: the international system now faces a choice. Either it must make a serious effort to preserve the international order, or it must submit to a pattern of interventions and the production of insecurity. In such a scenario, Iran would be only one element in a much broader landscape of instability and chaos. If the international system fails to act, developments in and around Iran will inevitably be affected by that wider disorder," Safavi said.
Iranian expert warns of global turmoil amid rising U.S. unilateralism
South China's Guangdong Province is accelerating its transformation into an international medical tourism hub, positioning itself as a destination for patients worldwide seeking affordable, high-quality care.
The push follows a joint initiative announced in late March by nine Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at boosting spending by foreign tourists and enhancing exports of tourism services as part of broader efforts to expand the country's service sector.
Every day, some of the most complex surgeries are performed here. Li Zilun, deputy director of the division of vascular surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, is among the doctors capable of carrying out these intricate procedures.
He recently completed surgery on a patient with an aortic aneurysm, a condition often described as a "time bomb" in the body’s main artery, increasingly common in aging societies around the globe. Li also specializes in highly difficult and pioneering procedures, including repairing leaks caused by failed grafts.
"This was a very challenging case. And then, we implanted the covered stent to eliminate the endoleak. Actually, the outcome was pretty good. The patient will be discharged today," said Li Zilun.
The ability to handle such complex cases -- combining international techniques with domestically produced devices -- is drawing patients from around the world to seek treatment. In addition, high safety standards and low costs are also major draws.
"Our government is encouraging innovation. So, lots of physicians -- including our vascular surgeons -- we are actively involved in the innovation that helps to increase the effectiveness and safety, and also bring down the cost," said Li.
This hospital is one of the first in Guangdong to be designated by the provincial health commission as a pilot site for building an international medical service hub.
The growing number of patients has pushed the hospital to explore new ways to transform every step -- from treatment to payment and everything in between -- into a seamless experience, reducing waiting times and delivering better care for patients.
"I think it's fast. When the patient come here for just about, I think, one week, you can solve the problem," said Xiao Haipeng, president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
The hospital is also deepening its international cooperation with top-tier medical institutions, including those at Harvard University.
"Not just for China, for the whole globe, we are facing health care challenges -- emerging infectious disease and chronic, lung infectious diseases, and also the aging population, also the shortage of healthcare workforce," said Xiao.
In response to these challenges, China is promoting its own solutions, including aggressive innovation in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven workflows, while stepping up research and development investment and global engagement along the way.
"In recent years, the innovation in Western medicine is dramatically growing. An example of my hospital -- in the past few years, we have 140 innovations and seven of them are international leading innovations," said Xiao.
As global demand for medical tourism grows, China is positioning itself as a new destination. Official data shows that the number of foreign patients in Guangdong increased by 20 percent last year. Among them, the growth in inpatient admissions was even faster, rising by 76 percent.
Guangdong fast-tracks pilot for int'l medical service hub
