Shell-Shocked Lebanon and China Plays Mediator in the Iran War

Summary

HERE’S THE SCOOP: Shell-Shocked Lebanon and China Plays Mediator in the Iran War
NBC News | April 9, 2026
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian

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Episode Overview

This episode tackles two major, interconnected developments on the global stage: the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon following Israeli attacks post-ceasefire, and China's emerging role as a mediator in the Iran war. Hosted by Yasmin Vossoughian, the show draws on frontline reporting and expert analysis to expose the fraught situation for Lebanese civilians, while unpacking China’s diplomatic calculations and the greater geopolitical ramifications.

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Lebanon: Still Under Fire, Still in Crisis

Segment Begins: 00:12
Guest: Zoya Alke, Freelance Producer in Beirut

Key Discussion Points

• Fragile Ceasefire and Israeli Strikes

  • Despite the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, Israeli attacks on Beirut and southern Lebanon reignited fears and furthered Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis.
  • Discrepancy in the ceasefire terms: Pakistan included Lebanon in the agreement, but Israel claimed its campaign against Hezbollah was outside the ceasefire.

• Lebanese Political Response

  • The Lebanese cabinet seeks direct negotiations with Israel, not via Iran, for future peace or ceasefire arrangements.

  • Prime Minister Nawaf Salam thanked Pakistan for its mediation but stressed Lebanon’s need for direct talks.

    "President Daron insisted to have direct negotiation with Israel, mentioning that he doesn't want any negotiation through Iran regarding ceasefires with Lebanon or peace agreement with Lebanon."
    —Zoya Alke [02:19]

• Public Distrust and Trauma

  • Lebanese citizens express deep distrust in both their own government and the negotiation process.

  • The prevailing desire is for the disarmament of Hezbollah and an end to the violence, but hope is thin.

    "Lebanese people, they don't trust the government, they want to get rid of Hezbollah's arm. They are really in a very terrible situation."
    —Zoya Alke [03:34]

• Impact of Ceasefire Breach

  • News of the ceasefire brought fleeting hope; many displaced persons prepared to return home only to be met with massive airstrikes hours later.
  • At 2pm, Israel launched “within 10 minutes 100 different attacks over the whole Beirut, the south, Saida and the Tyre and the whole Lebanese territory," shattering any sense of safety.
    [04:19]

• Human Toll:

  • Mass evacuations, daily displacement, and mounting casualties:

    • 1,200,000 displaced people as of the latest attacks.
    • 254 killed, 1,165 wounded in one day, with new displacement orders issued for Beirut’s southern suburbs (Al Dahia).
    • Ongoing search for missing persons; bodies placed in containers outside local hospitals for identification.

    "Yesterday was terrible because it all happened at the same time. People lost their houses, people are still missing up till today. People are under the rubbles up till now."
    —Zoya Alke [05:55]

    • Harrowing description of a container with 95 corpses outside Rafiq Hariri Public Hospital:

      "[Families] were around it just to come and check if any of their relatives are in that container. Believe it or not, people are still under the rubbles."
      —Zoya Alke [09:39]

• Civilian vs. Military Targets

  • The Israeli targeting rationale versus civilian casualties:
    • Example of a 10-story building collapsed in search of one Hezbollah member, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 civilians.
    • “People are paranoid now… Sometimes they send evacuation orders and... all what they want is just to target one person or two people from Hezbollah. At the same time they are killing civilians.” [07:26]

• Perception of the Future

  • Facing worsening conditions, ongoing attacks, and scarce shelter, public sentiment is bleak:

    "I think we're still going to have more attacks. We're still going to have more attacks. I mean, and we cannot afford it anymore."
    —Zoya Alke [11:02]

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China’s Quiet Leverage: The Geopolitics of Mediation

Segment Begins: 13:12
Guest: Janice Mackie Frere, NBC News Correspondent (Beijing)

Key Discussion Points

• Energy Security as Motivation

  • China’s immediate interest: securing oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, essential given China's status as the top Iranian oil buyer (10–13% of Iran’s oil goes to China).

  • Explains the “shadow fleet” system and “teapot refineries” that process sanctioned Iranian oil at deep discounts, often outside global regulatory purview.

    "It's not so much how much they're buying, but how they're buying it... there's been this parallel ecosystem, this complex network that's been created that starts with shadow fleets."
    —Janice Mackie Frere [14:29]

• Economic Leverage Over Iran

  • China constitutes up to 45% of Iran’s oil revenue, creating an economic lifeline and giving Beijing significant sway over Tehran’s actions.

    "China is Iran's economic lifeline... there's also the diplomatic leverage... Tehran goes into these negotiations with the United States, they are going to be doing so with China's best interests in mind as well."
    —Janice Mackie Frere [17:01]

• Role in Negotiations

  • While not physically at the negotiation table (unlike Pakistan), China exerts major influence via direct talks with Tehran and alongside Pakistani counterparts.
  • It used this leverage to prompt Iran towards ceasefire, which even President Trump acknowledged.

• Geopolitical Implications

  • China wants to reinforce its reputation as a responsible player and to provide grounds for pragmatic engagement with the U.S., especially with President Trump’s impending summit in Beijing.

  • Nevertheless, deep underlying mistrust between China and the U.S. remains, particularly over issues such as sanctions-busting oil flows and tariffs.

    "There will be a diplomatic pop that comes from this, and it'll be well timed with the summit. But there are still some very thorny issues that remain between the US And China on trade..."
    —Janice Mackie Frere [21:24]

Notable Moment

• Pakistan is the visible mediator, but as one correspondent put it:

  "When they're all in the room in Islamabad, China will not be there... but in terms of influence, they will be very much in the room."
  —Janice Mackie Frere [18:08]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Human Cost in Lebanon:

  "I can't tell you the terror that took place yesterday in Beirut and in the south."
  —Zoya Alke [06:46]

• On Civilian Casualties:

  "Is it worth to kill? I mean only in this building there, I mean, at least 30 people were killed because they wanted to target the nephew of nine Qasim."
  —Zoya Alke [07:26]

• On China's Approach:

  "China is presenting itself in a way that it can cooperate with the United States in order to help resolve a crisis, which is not something we often see."
  —Janice Mackie Frere [19:26]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:12 — Yasmin sets up the dual crises: Lebanon bombings & China's new mediator role.
• 01:48 — Lebanese government’s stance on negotiations, with in-depth reporting from Zoya Alke.
• 04:19 — Eyewitness account of the immediate aftermath of Israeli strikes in Beirut.
• 07:26 — Civilian casualties and targeting dynamics in Israeli attacks.
• 09:39 — Harrowing details of families searching for missing loved ones.
• 11:02 — Fears about the immediate future for Lebanese civilians.
• 13:12 — Introduction to China's role in mediating the Iran war; analysis from Janice Mackie Frere.
• 14:29 — Detailed picture of China’s oil trade with Iran and its sanctions-evading ecosystem.
• 17:01 — Mechanics of China’s leverage over Iran.
• 19:26 — Discussion of China’s involvement in backchannel diplomacy and relation to the upcoming U.S.-China summit.
• 21:24 — Impact of China’s mediation on U.S.-China relations.

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Tone & Language

• The language is immediate, urgent, and empathetic when covering civilian suffering in Lebanon.
• Conversational yet analytical during the exploration of China’s motives, with explanatory depth provided by correspondents and guests.

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Conclusion

The episode offers an unflinching look at Lebanon’s ongoing agony in the aftermath of Israeli attacks, underscoring both the human toll and the political complexity. It transitions into a thoughtful analysis of China’s strategic maneuvering in the region, elucidating how energy security and global influence shape Beijing’s interventions. The shifting alliances, blurred lines of mediation, and deep-seated mistrust between world powers indicate that even the tenous moments of peace remain fraught with uncertainty.

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For listeners seeking a coherent understanding of the latest Middle East crisis and China's quietly pivotal role, this episode brings sharp frontline narrative and global context—without sugarcoating the stakes for those caught in the crossfire.

Transcript

[A]

I think we're still going to have more attacks. We're still going to have more attacks. I mean, and we cannot afford it anymore.

[B]

Hey, everybody, and welcome to here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Bissugian. Today on the show, Lebanon is still shell shocked after Israeli attacks on Beirut just hours after the ceasefire with Iran was announced. How things look on the ground there today. Plus, how China ended up an unlikely go between in the war and what Beijing stands to gain from the negotiations in Islamabad. So first, the tenuous cease fire between the US And Iran appears to be hanging on by a thread. Shipping traffic in the state of Hormuz is effectively at a standstill, despite it being President Trump's key demand in the deal. Another point of contention, Israeli strikes inside Lebanon. Pakistan said that Lebanon was included in the agreement, but Israel said that its campaign against Hezbollah was not part of the cease fire and launched another day of attacks, including on the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Hundreds of people were injured and crews are still working to pull civilians from the rubble. In a phone call with NBC News, President Trump said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that Netanyahu had agreed to, quote, unquote, skills scaled back its attacks on Lebanon. Today, Netanyahu said in a statement that he has directed his cabinet to open negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. So how do people on the ground in Lebanon actually feel about this conflict? And do they see an end in the short term with everything they have experienced? So for that, I want to bring in our freelance producer on the ground in Lebanon, Zoya Alke. Hi, Zoya.

[A]

Hello.

[B]

It's great to talk to you, Zoya. Thank you for joining us. I want to start with this statement that I mentioned from the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. He has instructed his cabinet to open negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, to focus, as he puts it, on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful negotiations. What is the Lebanese government right now saying about these potential negotiations and ending the war with Israel?

[A]

This morning, the cabinet held a meeting and the spokesman of the cabinet said in a press conference earlier today that President Daron insisted to have direct negotiation with Israel, mentioning that he doesn't want any negotiation through Iran regarding ceasefires with Lebanon or peace agreement with Lebanon. And at the same time, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam contacted the prime minister of Pakistan and thanked him for all his efforts regarding the ceasefires and asked him to include Lebanon in the ceasefires agreements. That's the Lebanese government stand they don't want to go through Iran, they want to have direct negotiation with Israel.

[B]

So they want direct negotiations with Israel, but they also want Pakistan to include them in the ceasefire agreement until they can come to a consensus through direct negotiations with Israel. Is that what I understand you saying? Do the Lebanese people, Zoya, feel as if they can trust these negotiations will happen in good faith?

[A]

With all what's happening on the ground and especially with what happened yesterday, it was devastating. Lebanese people, they don't trust the government, they want to get rid of Hezbollah's arm. They are really in a very terrible situation.

[B]

Let's Zoya, talk about what happened yesterday. Just hours after the U S Iran ceasefire was announced, Israel launched an attack on Beirut. When the ceasefire news came through, what were Lebanese thinking about their safety, their future? Did they feel as if it applied to them that they could return to their homes, for instance, and go back to life because a ceasefire had been struck?

[A]

Well, as far as we received the news from the Pakistani Prime Minister saying that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire. Many Lebanese displaced place to ready to go back to their homes to check on them in the south and in the Beirut southern suburbs. But the army asked them not to do so. So people were excited. And then all of a sudden around 2pm Israel launched within 10 minutes 100 different attacks over the whole Beirut, the south, Saida and the Tyre and the whole Lebanese territory. So people were in shock.

[B]

I think it's important for folks to understand, just to remind people what was happening in southern Lebanon. Zoya, as you and I were talking, because there was essentially a mass evacuation from southern Lebanon going north because there were repeated attacks from Israel on southern Lebanon, Right? So there was a major humanitarian crisis happening inside. And there is a major humanitarian crisis happening inside Lebanon, which people have nowhere to live, nowhere to stay because they've evacuated their homes in the south. And then as you mentioned, people wanting to go back home, the ceasefire is announced and then this, this attack happens. I know you've been speaking with a lot of people on the ground, a lot of Lebanese on the ground there, especially people in and around Beirut. How did they react to these latest attacks? What were they telling you?

[A]

Well, people were devastated. I mean, let me give you a few figures. Until yesterday morning, we had around 1,000,200 displaced people from the south and from the suburbs of Beirut. Yesterday we had more displaced people. We had yesterday only 254 killed and over 1165 wounded. Today Israel sent evacuation order to Al Dahia, which is the southern suburb of Beirut. So again today we had displaced people. So on daily basis we have displaced people, we have people that have been killed. People are. Especially yesterday. Yesterday was terrible because it all happened at the same time. People lost their houses, people are still missing up till today. People are under the rubbles up till now. So the situation is dramatic. How do people feel? I mean, we are all devastated. I can't tell you the terror that took place yesterday in Beirut and in the south.

[B]

When you hear Israel saying that they are coming after Hezbollah, they are striking because of Hezbollah, is that bearing out on the ground in Lebanon from what you've been seeing and the attacks you've been seeing, or are they striking mainly civilians?

[A]

Well, people are paranoid now because sometimes they send evacuation orders and everybody leaves. And then all what they want is just to target one person or two people from Hezbollah. At the same time they are killing civilians when they attack a whole building. Yesterday, after the hundred attacks, they attacked one building, a 10 story building in Tallat Al Khayyat. The whole building was on the ground and all the people there were civilians. And what the Israelis declared after that they killed the nephew of Naim Qasim in that building. And is it worth to kill? I mean only in this building there, I mean, at least 30 people were killed because they wanted to target the nephew of nine Qasim.

[B]

The image you paint for me sounds, as you mentioned, dramatic, right? You have a 10 story building as you describe, civilians inside the 10 story building leveled. They're targeting one Hezbollah fighter inside this 10 story building according to what you're telling us. Describe for us other scenes inside and around Beirut that came from this attack.

[A]

Three days ago they targeted an apartment in Ein Saadi, which is in the Christian suburb, and three people were killed in that building. A man who belongs to the Lebanese forces, which is a Christian political party completely against Hezbollah with his wife and his neighbor. And we don't know and all what they said. We're sorry, we missed the target. We were targeting somebody from Hezbollah and then we missed the target. So people are getting paranoid because they are afraid to receive the. So this is a humanitarian crisis and

[B]

there are still people under the rubble today after the attack yesterday?

[A]

Yes, yes, yes. Up till today we have like around 60 missing people. Their families are going from one hospital to another hospital to check if they found them, whether killed, whether injured, etc. At the Rafiq Hariri Public Hospital. There was a container that was standing in front of the Hariri Public hospital that had 95 corpses and people. Families were around it just to come and check if any of their relatives are in that container. Believe it or not, people are still under the rubbles. I mean, yesterday was a terrible day for Beirut and for, for the whole country.

[B]

So with that in mind, I mean, the image that you just described is horrifying. A container full of, you know, corpses, up to almost 100 people. Families just searching for their brother, their sister, their mother, their father, their children in this container outside this hospital. If diplomacy doesn't work, what to you does the next few weeks look like? What are, what are the expectations of Lebanese in the coming weeks if they cannot reach a deal?

[A]

I think we're still going to have more attacks. We're still going to have more attacks. I mean, and we cannot afford it anymore. Right now people are again on the streets, but there is no more room in shelters on the streets, on the coast. People spend their nights on the streets. Some of them, if their building was not attacked, they go back to their area. Some of them don't know where to go. Let's hope things work out because we've had enough.

[B]

Zoya Auki, thank you.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

All right, we're going to take a very quick break. And when we are back, how China is using quiet diplomacy and economic leverage to nudge Iran to the negotiating table without even being there. And hey, while you're waiting, just take a second to subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening. And if you already subscribe, thank you. And do not forget to rate and review. It would really help us with our algorithms. We'll be right back. The right window treatments change everything. Your sleep, your privacy, the way every room looks and feels. @blinds.com We've spent 30 years making it surprisingly simple to get exactly what your home needs. We've covered over 25 million windows and have 50,000 five star reviews to prove we deliver. Whether you DIY it or want a pro to handle everything from measure to install, we have you covered. Real design professionals, free samples, zero pressure right now. Get up to 45% off with minimum purchase plus get a free professional [e-mail] rules and restrictions apply.

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[B]

And we are back with here's the scoop from NBC News. So as Israel and Iran and the US they edged closer and closer to a wider war, there were two unlikely players that stepped in to help cool things down. It was China and it was Pakistan, each with very different motives. Pakistan is juggling conflicts on multiple fronts, trying to manage tensions with Afghanistan, while also easing pressure along its border with Iran. But how did China end up playing a mediator? And what do they stand to gain? So for this, I want to bring in NBC News correspondent Janice Mackie Frere, who's on the ground for us in Beijing. Hi, Janice.

[D]

Hey, Yasmin.

[B]

So China and Iran have had a close economic alliance for quite some time. China is, as we all well know at this point, because you and I have spoken before, the primary buyer of Iranian oil, hence being very much affected by the blockade at the Strait of Hormuz and this ongoing conflict between the United States, Iran and Israel. How much has China been impacted by this war? How are we seeing it bear out on the ground there? And is this one of the reasons why Beijing ultimately stepped in to help negotiate a temporary ceasefire?

[D]

Beijing stepped in for reasons of energy security because it gets so much of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz. And this is oil that's coming not just from Iran, but from the rest of the Middle east as well. So it has this vested interest in having energy flows restored and having the strait reopened. What it also has is leverage over Iran. And we saw them use this leverage after weeks of sitting on the sidelines and not getting involved in the war. And Beijing's motivation, it can be looked at in a couple of different ways. Yes, it's buying a lot of Iranian oil, 10 to 13% of Iranian oil, But it's it's not so much how much they're buying, but how they're buying it, because there is this whole other parallel system for doing business with Iran when it comes to oil. Because Iran is heavily sanctioned, it can't sell its oil on the global market by regular means. And so there's been this parallel ecosystem, this complex network that's been created that starts with shadow fleets. Where Iranian oil is, it's put on cargo ships and it's transferred to other ships at sea. It's relabeled, and by the time it makes it to Asia, it's something entirely different. And this oil to Avoid sanctions is being processed at these teapot refineries on China's coast, mostly in Shandong province. And it's being processed there. Deep discounts, $10 to $20 a barrel. So what we have is China stepping in not only to protect its supply of oil, but, but the system that makes that supply possible. And so while shorter term China has about three months worth of reserves, it has other suppliers that it can turn to like, like Russia and Iraq. It was really looking to protect this system that it has with Iran, which also bypasses the entire US dollar system.

[B]

When you say China has leverage over Iran, is that economic monetary leverage? That is, we will not continue to buy your oil. We'll go elsewhere if you do not come to some sort of negotiation or some sort of ceasefire on this war. Is that what you're talking about? When it comes to leverage, it's leverage

[D]

in the economic sense in that China is Iran's economic lifeline. The fact that Iran has been able to sell its oil to China at deep discounts for so long has allowed Iran to get revenue from that oil. By some estimates, up to 45% of Iran's revenues were coming from purchases linked to China. And then there's also the diplomatic leverage as well. When Tehran goes into these negotiations with the United States, they are going to be doing so with China's best interests in mind as well. And so that's seen as the reason why Beijing is, is weighing in now is because they had the opportunity and the leverage to say to Tehran that this might be the best possible off ramp for this conflict.

[B]

How is it that Beijing has gotten involved to help negotiate this current ceasefire? How are they planning on remaining involved to get to a permanent end to the war?

[D]

Well, this isn't a last minute intervention. China has actually been involved, though quietly from the very beginning. Their messaging has been very consistent. They have been talking with representatives from all sides, in particular Tehran. And a lot of the time the messaging to Tehran was that they need to de escalate the situation as well. They're not acting as a mediator. Pakistan is the mediator here. But they are reinforcing what Pakistan is trying to do in order to bring an end to the crisis. So when, when they're all in the room in Islamabad, China will not be there in the, you know, a traditional sense in that they're going to be sitting at the table and helping to hammer out a deal. But in terms of influence, they will be very much in the room.

[B]

You're talking about this weekend, these peace talks that are happening in Islamabad. We know Vice President JD Vance will be there. Special envoy Steve Woodkoff, along with the President's son in law, Jared Kushner as well. Even if China is not in the room, who are they directly speaking to about these negotiations and who is speaking on China's behalf? Are they speaking directly to the Iranians? Are they speaking to the Pakistanis?

[D]

Yes and yes. They have been working closely with officials from Pakistan as well as diplomats from Tehran in communicating their message, in offering the support. Even Pakistani officials were saying that it was Beijing's intervention that did help convince Tehran to accept this temporary ceasefire. This is something that President Trump acknowledged as well. This is China also wanting to position itself as this global player, as a responsible player. And it's one of those rare opportunities when China is presenting itself in a way that it can cooperate with the United States in order to help resolve a crisis, which is not something we often see. But I do think that timing has a lot to do with it, too. Yasmin. With President Trump expected to be visiting Beijing and having his summit with Xi Jinping just weeks from now, and the full expectation on the Chinese side that the conflict has to be, if not fully resolved, at least de Escalated to a point of being stable so that there can be pragmatic engagement between China and the US because while President Trump had said that he was delaying the summit, which was supposed to be held a couple of weeks ago because of the war, there was the sense as well that China was being motivated into intervening with Tehran so that there could be a more stable stage for this summit to happen.

[B]

What type of impact could China's intervention in helping negotiate this ceasefire deal and potential end to the war have on their own relations with the United States? In addition to some of what you just talked about having a more pragmatic

[D]

approach, it still won't change the fact that there are some very. That there's a deep strategic mistrust between the US And China. So, yes, there will be a diplomatic pop that comes from this, and it'll be well timed with the summit. But there are still some very thorny issues that remain between the US And China on trade, on. On tariffs. Some would say what has enabled Iran to fight the war as long as it has, in that China has helped Iran evade sanctions with creating this parallel universe in the oil trade. And so that will also be a sticking point for the US when they're sitting in the room here in Beijing.

[B]

Janice McAfrer, thank you.

[D]

Thank you, Yasmin.

[B]

Okay, we are going to take a very quick break. And when we are back, how a 39 year old real estate agent ended up on golf's biggest stage. That's next in the headlines.

[C]

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[A]

I have never had any knowledge of

[B]

Epstein abuse of his victims.

[D]

I was never involved in any capacity.

[B]

I was not a participant, was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island. The first lady also urged Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors so that their testimony could be permanently entered into the congressional Record. It is unclear what prompted her remarks. A new analysis found that ICE arrests of immigrants without criminal convictions have surged 770% during President Trump's second term and that ICE street arrests are up 1,000%. The analysis is coming from the Deportation Data Project at UC Berkeley, based on federal data obtained through a Freedom of Information act lawsuit. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the researchers had, quote, cherry picked data in order to, quote, peddle a false narrative. And finally, the world's best golfers are teeing off in Augusta, Georgia, today as the 2026 Masters gets underway. On the leaderboard, you've got greats like returning champ Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. But the most interesting player is this 39 year old real estate agent from Bloomington, Illinois, Brandon Holtz, who is, by the way, an amateur. So how did he actually make it to the green? Well, back in 2004, Holtz and his dad, they won lifetime passes to the Masters, which is already, by the way, pretty lucky. And every year they've been making a trek to Georgia in April. But then a couple of years ago, Holtz took a huge swing and he decided, okay, he's going to try his luck as an amateur. He wants to see what he can do. And he won USGA's Mid Amateur Championship, earning him the invite that he has now to Augusta. He's clearly obviously at the bottom of the rankings, but who really cares? He is playing in the Masters. And who knows, he could actually have a chance to win the famed Green Jacket. We are rooting for you. That is going to do it for us. It here's the Scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vesugin. We'll be back tomorrow with whatever the day may bring. And if you like what you heard, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And you can also subscribe to our daily newsletter, the Inside Scoop. It is a deeper dive on the main stories of the day that comes out every weeknight straight to your inbox. You can sign up for the Inside Scoop as part of our paid [e-mail] we'll see you tomorrow.

[D]

This week on Meet THE press.

[B]

End game in Iran after President Trump's speech signals weeks of war.

[D]

Still ahead, we dig into the impact here at home.

[B]

Plus, a deep dive into the new battle over voting restrictions this week on Meet THE Press. Listen to the full episode now.

[D]

Wherever you get your podcasts.