4 ways the war in Iran has weakened the United States in the great power game

Photo: President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping – October 29, 2025. Photo credit: Official White House photo by Daniel Torok via Flickr. US government work. Article by Jeffrey Taliaferro. The Conversation – April 11, 2026.

“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”

Napoleon Bonaparte’s maxim may well have been in the minds of policymakers in Moscow and Beijing these past weeks, as the U.S. war in Iran dragged on. And now that a 14-day ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is in effect – with both sides claiming “victory” – Russian and Chinese leaders still have an opportunity to profit from what many see as America’s latest folly in the Middle East. […]

Click here to view original web page at www.theconversation.com

Related articles:

Xi Offers Veiled Critique of U.S. in Rare Comments on War in Iran – The New York Times

Chinese oil tanker breaks US blockade in Strait of Hormuz – Salon

Trump’s decision to blockade Iran ups the ante on prices – Politico

‘The Constitution Is Clear and the Stakes Are High’: Coalition Demands Congress Rein In Pro-War Trump – Common Dreams

U.S. military turned back six ships in first 24 hours of Iranian port blockade – NBC News