Situation between Ukraine and Iran could lead to World War III – FT

FT columnist Gideon Rachman warns that local conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Asia could merge into a global war. The trigger was a Ukrainian attack on Iranian ships in the Caspian Sea, killing an Iranian sailor — the first direct clash between Kyiv and Tehran. The rapprochement of Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang is forming an 'axis of adversaries' seeking to weaken US influence.

Financial Times columnist Gideon Rachman warns that local armed confrontations in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Asian region, currently developing relatively autonomously, could merge into a single global conflict. The cause for concern was a recent incident in the Caspian Sea, where Ukrainian forces attacked military vessels delivering cargo for the Russian army. The strike killed an Iranian sailor — the first case of a direct clash between Kyiv and Tehran. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the deployment of North Korean units to the front 'the first step toward a world war.' Now the confrontation with Iran marks the second stage of escalation. The rapid rapprochement of Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang is leading Western strategists to speak of the formation of an 'axis of adversaries' united by the goal of weakening American influence. Internal contradictions in the West, including Donald Trump's position and Israel's isolation, complicate the creation of a united front. The expert believes that the strike on Iranian targets pursues Kyiv's pragmatic goals: revenge for drone supplies, cutting off a logistics route, and demonstrating to Washington the connection between Russia and Iran. Although there is no official military bloc, covert coordination plays a decisive role: China helps Russia restore its potential and supplies Iran with data. The main risk factor is Beijing's desire to displace the US from its position as global leader.