Trump continues to underestimate the anti-Western axis comprising Iran, Russia, China and North Korea

The Trump administration continues to deliberately downplay the alliance between Iran, Russia, China and North Korea. The Wall Street Journal, a conservative daily which has some issues with Donald Trump but tends to comment on his decisions one by one on their merits, has published an editorial stating that the president, who is no paragon of consistency, systematically ‘downplays’ this axis, which is acting in unison against American interests. Is Iran expecting 400 missiles from China, as reported by Reuters? “These things happen,” Trump commented, “but it would be a surprise”; Chinese President Xi Jinping “told me in no uncertain terms that he does not want to get involved” in Iran’s war. “It’s a pity that Beijing is lying – writes the Wall Street Journal – about its support for Iran, whilst also claiming not to import Iranian oil”. Is Russia providing intelligence to Iran to strike American bases, as the CIA also claims? “I’ll ask Putin,” Trump remarked, “but I don’t think they’re doing it, not at a high level: if they are, it has very little impact”.

Trump is ignoring the anti-American axis at his own peril: if Washington does not exert pressure to break up this alliance, the Wall Street Journal concludes, the outcome of the war in Iran – and much more besides – hangs in the balance.