US attacks on Iran redraw calculus of use of force for allies and rivals around globe

<p>Perceived readiness of US to employ force instead of negotiations could have knock-on effects around the world</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jun/27/donald-trump-big-beautiful-bill-reworked-senate-us-politics-latest-updates-news">US politics live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>For US allies and rivals around the world, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a>’s strikes on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran">Iran</a> have redrawn the calculus of the White House’s readiness to use force in the kind of direct interventions that the president said he would make a thing of the past under his isolationist “America First” foreign policy.</p><p>From Russia and China to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news">Europe</a> and across the global south, the president’s decision to launch the largest strategic bombing strike in US history indicates a White House that is ready to employ force abroad – but <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/21/trump-iran-attack-analysis">reluctantly and under the extremely temperamental and unpredictable leadership of the president</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/27/trump-iran-attacks-global-impact">Continue reading...</a>