Special to WorldTribune, October 22, 2026 Real World News
Geostrategy-Direct, October 20, 2026
By Richard Fisher
In the Middle East, China, Russia and Iran are working to extend the ongoing war to end Iran’s nuclear weapons capability to weaken President Donald Trump going into the Nov. 3 mid-term elections, while China is arming and cheering the Houthi’s war against Saudi Arabia.
Iran’s 1,400km range Kheibar Shekan guided ballistic missile, called Hatem in Houthi service, will now be built by the Houthis with parts from China. / Via Wilson Center
Russian leader Vladimir Putin suggested to President Donald Trump that there be a three-way summit with China’s leader Xi Jinping and himself at the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen, China, according to an Oct. 19 report in the Wall Street Journal.
Responding to this report, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented, “There’s been talks of a meeting. I don’t know whether it’s been finalized, but the president has been clear. He’d like the war in Ukraine and Russia to end.” according to an Oct. 20 Reuters report.
However, while Trump deserves credit for already having expended great effort to convince Russia to end its nearly 5-year Ukraine War and is likely predisposed to agreeing to an opportunity to advance negotiations, like a trilateral summit, there is also a danger that China and Russia would seek a propaganda summit as they continue to stoke wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
An Aug. 20 “Fact Sheet” from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission notes that China is the “decisive” supporter for Russia’s war against Ukraine and has sold Russia $10.3 billion in sanctioned dual-use components, provides satellite intelligence to guide Russian targeting, while Russia sells military training to China derived from Russian development of advanced unmanned system warfare operations.
On Oct. 20, Reuters reported that “Iran has deliberately prolonged talks with the US to try to weaken Donald Trump politically ahead of November’s US midterm elections,” according to three unnamed Iranian officials.
In October 2026 alone, Iran has launched attacks against tanker and cargo ships in the area of the Straits of Hormuz on Oct. 8, 9, 14, 17 and 18, using missiles, small boats and mines — which roils petroleum markets that in turn sustains politically unpopular high gasoline prices in the U.S. and around the world.
China reportedly sold 300-400 shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles (MANPADS) to Iran, according to a July 28 Reuters report — Iran’s main weapon for shooting down over 40 U.S. MQ-9 Reaper unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs).
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