High tension as the world awaits Iran’s response to our attacks
After the US attacked Iran, major cities increased security as US agencies issued alerts and world leaders encouraged them to get detached.
- Russia, China and North Korea denounced the US strike, but only Russia called the invasion unfounded.
- Iran has been linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hootis in Yemen, but these groups have not been directly involved in Israel since the US bombing.
Concerns of retaliation from Middle Eastern countries continued on Monday, June 23, after the US took part in the fight against Israel and Iran and bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.
In what President Donald Trump called a “big success,” American fighters fired bombs and missiles raiding uranium enrichment sites in Fordaw, Isfahan and Natantz. No US soldiers were injured in operations carried out after midnight local time in Iran.
After Israel began bombing Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13, Trump’s orders to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities said the US coordinated and helped it plan a strike in an operation to block Tehran from construction of atomic weapons.
Israeli troops launched a strike in Tehran’s capital on June 23, focusing on military and government targets, Israeli Defense Minister said it had attacked Iran’s main prisons and security headquarters. The latest strikes are also targeting airports.
The attack forced major US cities, including New York and Los Angeles, to step up security. The agency has issued warnings to American citizens at home. The State Department issued a “Global Warning Security Alert” advising American citizens overseas to exercise increased vigilance amid the ongoing Israeli-Iran war.
As the Israeli-Iran conflict continues – now the US is involved – we see Iran’s allies here.
Who are Iran’s allies?
Hours after the US attacked, Vice President JD Vance said the US was “at war with Iran’s nuclear program” and not a country.
As of June 23, the conflict remains between Israel and is supported solely by the US and Iran.
According to reports in Politico and The Wall Street Journal, the acronym, coined in 2023 by some Western officials, including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, refers to the new connections of the four countries.
“While it is not a formal alliance with a unified command structure, Crink Nations is working together in many ways, including exchanging food, oil, weapons, diplomatic support and military aid,” Politico reported last year.
Here’s what you need to know about Iran’s allies:
- Russia: Repeated warnings from Moscow said direct US actions against Iranian soils amount to “a dangerous escalation.” The country’s President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakich in Moscow on June 23, stating that the US attack was unjustified and called for a declaration of an attack on Iran.
- China: The country strongly condemned the US attack on the US, saying it violated the UN Charter and international law. It called for a ceasefire but did not provide substantial support to Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to prevent Iran from smashing the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation with US airstrikes. China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil, and the two countries are friendly.
- north korea: The country also denounced strong accusations of what it called the US strike against Iran a serious violation of the security interests and territorial rights of the sovereign state, state media reported. “(North Korea) is strongly condemning the US attack on Iran.
A country linked to Iran
- Lebanon: Iran has been linked to Lebanon and its extremist power, and is Hezbollah, a political party that the United States has designated Lebanon’s terrorist organization. According to the Diplomatic Council, the group was formed during the Lebanese civil war and was able to fight two Israeli invasions of Lebanon’s territory. He vowed to support the group in the fight against Hamas’ ally Israel. However, the New York Times reported since the US strike against Iran, but Hezbollah has not launched an attack on Israel.
- Syria: Iran and Syria had close ties during the Iran-Iraq war, but this has declined since the expulsion of President Bashar al-Assad. The rebels ousted the dictator’s regime, and he fled to Russia in December with his family.
- Yemen: Iran is attacking American ships in the Red Sea through proxy for the Houtis, Yemeni. The US responded with air strikes against them. In early May, Trump said the US would soon end airstrikes against Yemen’s Hooty extremists.
- Iwrap: Iran, which shares a border of nearly 1,000 miles with Iraq, has ties to Iraqi extremist groups, including Bador organizations Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Al-Al-Haq. In January 2020, Iran launched 13 ballistic missiles with Iraqi US forces.
Contributions: Reuters, Cybere Maze Osterman, Km Hojelmad, Jeaninine statecci, Miller,
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA Today. Contact her at nalund @usatoday.com and follow her at x @nataliealund.
