Trump’s attack on Iran has Putin-Xi axis of evil reeling

In just two months, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have watched as three of their key allies have come under overwhelming pressure from U.S. military power.

Putin and Xi have long argued that the world has entered a new multipolar era. Economically, there may be some truth to that claim. However, recent events suggest that when it comes to military strength, the United States still dominates the global stage.

For decades, Iran’s Islamic Republic has openly threatened the United States. Since the 1979 revolution, Iranian leaders have repeatedly chanted “Death to America,” while Iranian-backed forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,600 Americans. President Trump has now decided that the time has come to confront the regime directly. Instead of continuing with endless diplomatic efforts or relying solely on strategic deterrence—approaches that critics argue failed to stop attacks on Americans—his administration has shifted toward a more direct response.

Some analysts disagree with that approach. For example, former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has argued that there was no imminent threat to the U.S. homeland from Iran. But supporters of a tougher policy argue that Iran’s threat to Americans has been ongoing for decades, dating back to Nov. 4, 1979, when Iranian revolutionaries seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held more than 50 American diplomats hostage for 444 days.

For U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, the danger has been especially real. During the Biden administration alone, Iran-backed militias launched more than 250 attacks against U.S. forces in Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. Around 80 of those attacks occurred before the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, when Hamas—one of several militant groups supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—killed 46 Americans and took 12 others hostage.

McFaul has also argued strongly that the United States should confront Putin and provide Ukraine with what it needs to push Russian forces out of occupied territories, including Crimea. However, critics of current Western strategy argue that defeating Russia in Ukraine requires weakening the broader network of countries supporting Moscow.

Iran has played a major role in supporting Russia’s war effort. Iranian-made Shahed drones and related manufacturing support have allowed Russia to carry out frequent strikes against Ukraine’s energy grid and civilian infrastructure. In addition, Iran’s network of oil shipments has helped generate revenue that indirectly benefits Moscow.

Russia has also deepened cooperation with other partners. North Korea has provided troops, artillery, and ammunition to support the Russian military. Analysts note that coordinated actions by these allied regimes have sometimes stretched U.S. and Western resources.

For example, shortly after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, Russian forces launched a major offensive in eastern Ukraine targeting the city of Avdiivka. The battle ultimately resulted in Russia capturing the strategic Ukrainian position in the Donetsk region.

By early 2024, critics argued that the alliance among Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other partners had grown stronger while Western responses remained cautious. Some analysts blamed what they described as the Biden administration’s “just enough” approach to supporting Ukraine, arguing that it gave Russia opportunities to strengthen its position.

More recently, President Trump’s administration has taken a more aggressive posture toward countries aligned with Russia and China. In June, U.S. strikes targeted elements of Iran’s nuclear program in locations including Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz. The operation was intended to signal that Iran and its partners would no longer operate without consequences.

In January, the administration also launched a major operation focused on Venezuela, another country with close ties to both Russia and China. Analysts say the move was aimed in part at weakening oil networks that benefit those governments.

Now, with new pressure on Iran, the broader campaign appears to be intensifying. Within a short period, China—whose economy relies heavily on imported oil—has seen disruptions involving several major suppliers connected to its geopolitical partners.

Supporters of the strategy argue that Iran should not be viewed solely as a regional Middle Eastern issue. Because of its alliances with Russia and China, they see Iran as part of a larger global challenge. Weakening Tehran, they argue, could have ripple effects across that entire network.

If that dynamic continues, some analysts believe it could significantly alter the balance of the war in Ukraine and potentially make a Ukrainian victory easier to achieve.

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