Who are Iran's allies? These nations are tied to Middle Eastern country

As the world waits to see whether the U.S. military will launch major strikes on Iran's critical infrastructure, concerns of retaliation from the Middle Eastern country continued to circulate on April 7.

President Donald Trumpearlier this week warned that American attacks would leave the country unable to recover if its leaders don't meet a deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route.

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will," Trumpwrote in an April 7post on Truth Social.

The president left the door open to a possible eleventh-hour deal with Iran to avoid an escalation, saying U.S. leaders have been privately negotiating with a group of Iranian officials who are "smarter" and "less radicalized" than their predecessors.

After Trump's declaration, IranianPresident Masoud Pezeshkian announced, "more than 14 million proud Iranians had so far registered to sacrifice their lives to defend Iran."

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"I too have been, am, and will remain devoted to giving my life for Iran,"Pezeshkian wrote in a post on X.

So far, the conflict has involved Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other. But as the war continues, here is a look at Iran's allies and other countries tied the Middle Eastern nation.

Live:What to know about the rare US-Iran nuclear talks

Who are Iran's allies?

• Russia: Moscow has previously warned that any direct U.S. action on Iranian soil would amount to "a dangerous escalation." In June 2025, President Vladimir Putin met with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Moscow and said there was no justification for the U.S. attack last year and called aggression against Iran groundless.

  • Last month, Trump said Russia was providing intel to Iran on the location of U.S. forces, the Washington Post and NBC News reported. Reuters reported earlier this month that the country was "ready to contribute to resolving ​the Iran conflict" and Putin was continuing to talk with regional leaders.

• China: The country said it strongly condemned U.S. attacks on Iran, alleging America violated the UN Charter and international law. It called for a ceasefire but so far has not offered Iran any major assistance.

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio has previously called on China to prevent Iran from blocking the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, and the two countries are friendly.

• North Korea: The country has previously condemned U.S. strikes against Iran, calling them a mass violation of a sovereign state's security interests and territorial rights, its state media reported.

  • But Reuters on April 7 reported South Korean lawmakers − citing Seoul's National Intelligence Service − said North Korea appeared to be distancing itself from Iran "carefully managing its public ​messaging to preserve the possibility of a new relationship with the U.S. ‌after the Iran war."

Countries tied to Iran

• Lebanon: Iran has ties with Lebanon and militant group Hezbollah, a political party the United States designated a terrorist organization. The group formed in the 1980s during Lebanon's civil war to fight against two Israeli invasions of Lebanese territory, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

  • An ally of Hamas, it has vowed to support the group in its fight with Israel.

• Syria: Iran and Syria had close ties during the Iran-Iraq war, but those have diminished since the ouster of the President Bashar al-Assad. Rebel forces ousted the dictator's regime, and he fled with his family to Russia in 2024.

• Yemen: Iran has been attacking American ships in The Red Sea through their proxies in Yemen, the Houthis. America has responded with air strikes against them. In early May 2025, Trump said America would end airstrikes on Houthi militants in Yemen effective immediately.

• Iraq: Iran, which shares a nearly 1,000-mile border with Iraq, has ties to Iraqi militant groups including Kataib Hezbollah, the Badr Organization and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq. In January 2020, Iran launched 13 ballistic missiles at American troops in Iraq.

Contributing: Christopher Cannwith USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who are Iran's allies? Countries with ties to Middle Eastern nation

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April 09, 2026

Who are Iran's allies? These nations are tied to Middle Eastern country

As the world waits to see whether the U.S. military will launch major strikes on Iran's critical infrastructure, concerns of retali...

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Iranian American soccer fans are torn between pride and protest as the World Cup nears

STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) — With Iran qualifying for theWorld Cup, Arad Ershad had visions ofsplurging on flights and ticketsto attend one of the team’s upcoming first-round matches in Los Angeles.

Iranian Americans World Cup

That changed when Ershad, a New York graduate student who grew up in Tehran, saw how many of the players he had adored since childhood failed to speak out following its theocratic leadership’sdeadly crackdownon protesters in January.

“It feels so bad that I do not want them to succeed. They were like my icons, my legends," he lamented during a recent pickup soccer game on Long Island. “I know playing a World Cup is the biggest thing a soccer player can achieve in his life, but how can you just be silent?”

Ershad is one of many diehard soccer fans in the Iranian diaspora with conflicting emotions as Team Melli — the Persian nickname for Iran's national squad — prepares for its seventh World Cup. Iran is set to begin its campaign against New Zealand on June 15 near Los Angeles, a region that's home to thelargest Iranian communityoutside of Iran, including many who fled the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Some view the men's team as complicit in whitewashing the Iranian government's repression and can’t bear to watch the competition. Others plan to attendIran's gamesto show their love for the country and sport, but bearing signs of protest. Still others say they’ll set politics aside and just enjoy seeing Iran compete on soccer's biggest stage.

All of this is assuming the team actually takes part, which Iranian officialscalled into questionbecause of the country'swar with the United States and Israel. Iranian soccer officialsrecently metwith the head of FIFA, international soccer's governing body, who has insisted that Iran stick to the schedule.

The Iranian team often finds itself unable to avoid political issues. Before a recent match in Turkey,players held small backpackshonoring the Iranian children who were killed in aU.S. missile strike on an elementary school— a move Iranian American fans said showed their allegiance to the government and the political pressure it places on them.

Iranian athletes have faced serious consequences for speaking out. In 2022, a prominent former member of the national team wasarrested for allegedly protestingagainst the country's leadership. This year, star striker Sardar Azmoun wasn't selected for World Cup warmup games, reportedly because of a social media post thatangered the authorities.

Worries that Iran won't take part

Nader Adeli, who manages Iranian American club team Arya FC's over-60 squad in Los Angeles, is worried the war might keep Iran from attending the World Cup.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trumpdiscouragedthe Iranian team from taking part, citing safety concerns. In response, Iran asked to move its matches to Mexico, which is co-hosting the event along with the U.S. and Canada, though thehead of FIFAhas repeatedly rejected such a move.

Adeli, who didn’t win the ticket lottery to attend one of Iran's two Los Angeles-area matches, said the World Cup should be a moment to enjoy the sport without outside distractions.

But with war raging, he doesn't think the team will travel. And if it does, he doubts the players would be able to fully focus on competing.

“Sports should never become a political issue,” he said. “As people, we have nothing against any Americans, we have nothing against any Iranians. It is just the governments.”

Former women's team player says Iran shouldn't play

Iran's women's teammade headlines last monthwhen several members didn't sing along to the country's national anthem before their opening match at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.

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Although they sang it before Iran's next two fixtures, some commenters saw their initial silence as a protest against their government — though others saw it as a display of mourning about the war. The team and players — two of whomaccepted asylum offersto remain in Australia — didn't comment on the matter.

Shiva Amini, who used to play for the national team but now lives in New York City, is among the Iranian ex-pats calling on the Trump administration not to grant visas to the men's team to play in the World Cup.

The 36-year-old player, who left Iran in 2017 after being photographed not wearing a headscarf while in Europe, said many Iranians soured on the men’s squad during the 2022 World Cup, when players stayed silent as Iran was roiled by street demonstrations over the country's mandatory headscarf laws following thedeath of Mahsa Amini.

“They had a big platform, and instead of talking about that, they were laughing, they were so happy, and it was honestly a slap on the face,” she said. “So those are not the Iranian national soccer team. Those are the regime’s national soccer team.”

The few players who have spoken out paid dearly, Amini acknowledged, including Amir Nasr-Azadani, who faces years behind bars for his involvement in the 2022 protests.

Azmoun, the Dubai-based star striker who played for Iran's past two World Cup teams, wasn't picked to play in the team's warmups for this year's tournament, reportedly because he posted a photo on social media of himself greeting United Arab Emirates political leaders.

Plans to cheer on — and protest — Iran

Masoud Ahmadi, a 62-year-old interior designer who plays for another largely Iranian American over-60 club team, Sina FC, said he's trying to get a ticket to see Iran play. If he does, he said he'll take a stand against the Iranian leadership by carrying the country's lion-and-sun flag, which predates the Islamic Revolution.

Ahmadi said he was detained in Iran as a teenager before he fled to Turkey on foot. The U.S. granted him political asylum.

“We’re going to definitely raise our voice,” said Ahmadi, who is proud of his Iranian heritage but critical of the men's squad. “This team is not an Iranian people’s team. This is a government team."

Sasan Sadri, who manages the team, said if he scores a ticket, he'll try to wear a shirt calling for leadership change in Iran.

“As my countrymen, I like them to achieve,” he said. “I don’t support the regime, but soccer is soccer.”

As for Ershad, the New York grad student, he plans to support the Iranian team if the government is overthrown before the tournament starts. If not, he'll back soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo's side to win it all.

“It's so hard to not cheer for your national team, but let’s go Portugal," he said.

Taxin reported from Irvine, California.

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April 09, 2026

Iranian American soccer fans are torn between pride and protest as the World Cup nears

STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) — With Iran qualifying for theWorld Cup, Arad Ershad had visions ofsplurging on flights and ticketsto attend one...

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2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Get to know the favorites and what to watch for

The NHL'sStanley Cup Playoffsare not far away, with the first series set to begin on Saturday, April 18.

Avalanche Stars Hockey

The league is on track for the biggest postseason turnover in history, with the potential for half the field — eight of the 16 spots — to be teams that did not qualify a year ago.There will be a new championand no three-peat after theFlorida Pantherswere derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final.

The regular season runs through Thursday, April 16, a day after Eastern Conference teams wrap up.

Who's in the playoffs

WEST: Central Division rivals Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota are in, with the top-seeded Avalanche on track to win the Presidents' Trophy and ensure home ice throughout the playoffs. Five spots remain open.

EAST: Carolina, the Metropolitan Division champion, is in along withBuffalo, Tampa Bay and Montreal in the Atlantic Division. TheSabres endedtheir NHL record 14-year postseason drought. Five spots remain open.

The matchups

The top three teams in each of the four divisions division make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division.

The teams with the best record in each conference open against the wild-card team with the worst record; the other wild-card plays the other division winner. Teams that finish second and third in their division play each other in the bracket headed by their respective division winner. The second round thus carries a higher prospect of division foes matching up ahead of the conference finals.

All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

The first-round matchups so far:

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— Dallas vs. Minnesota.

The favorites

Colorado is the 3-1 favorite to win the Stanley Cup, followed by Tampa Bay at 9-2, Carolina at 5-1 and Dallas at 10-1, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

How to watch

Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule ishereand a streaming guideis here.Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

After three rounds of seven-game series, the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 21.

Who to watch

— Colorado, with MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon and star defenseman Cale Makar, has been hockey's best team since October.

— Connor McDavid and Edmonton lost in the Cup Final the past two years but are playing better defense and should have Leon Draisaitl for the playoffs.

— Tage Thompson was a big part of the U.S. winning Olympic gold and the Sabres' leading scorer finally gets to the postseason.

— Nikita Kucherov is right there with MacKinnon and McDavid in the NHL scoring race and has steadied the Lightning through months of injuries.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Kevin Durant's juke sends Dillon Brooks to the floor as Rockets rally past Suns for 7th straight win

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns well-known instigator Dillon Brooks was trying to get under the skin of Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant during a possession in the second quarter on Tuesday night, talking his usual trash while playing physical defense.

Rockets Suns Basketball

That turned out to be a mistake.

On the ensuing play, Durant juked Brooks,driving past him and making a jumperwhile Brooks stumbled to his knees. The play helped the Rockets rally from an early 21-point deficit fora 119-105 victoryin Durant's return to the desert after spending 2 1/2 seasons with the Suns from 2023-25.

Durant brushed aside questions about whether Brooks' antics motivated him. The 37-year-old forward finished with 24 points and shot 5 of 9 on 3-pointers after being greeted with a mix of cheers and boos from Phoenix fans during pregame introductions.

“I'm not giving him that — he doesn't get that kind of credit with me,” Durant said. "Maybe some other guys may turn up because he talks to them, but he's not that important or special to me to get me going. I wake up getting ready to play.

“But I respect Dillon, I respect what he brings to the game. Like I said earlier, I think that gets him going more than me. I just happened to get that ball right afterwards and make a good move.”

Durant came to the Suns in 2023 aspart of a four-team, trade-deadline dealjust hours after Mat Ishbia officiallytook the reins of the franchiseas a majority owner. The splashy move was widely praised at the time.

However, Durant's tenure in the desert was mostly notable for the lack of postseason success. He played well on an individual level — making the All-Star team in both full seasons — while the team regressed.

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The Suns lost to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals in 2023, got swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2024 and didn't even make the playoffs in 2025.

Durant was eventually traded during the offseason in a move that's worked out well for both sides. He's averaging nearly 26 points per game for the Rockets, who are on a seven-game winning streak and improved to 50-29.

The Suns have also been better than expected at 43-36 — partly thanks to the arrival of Brooks and Jalen Green. The two came to Phoenix as part of the Durant deal. It was Green's first time playing against his former team after he missed the first three meetings with a hamstring injury.

Green finished with 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting.

First-year Suns coach Jordan Ott worked with Durant when the two were with the Brooklyn Nets from 2020-22. Ott spoke highly of the 16-time All-Star, reminiscing about how Durant nearly carried the Nets past the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals before losing in seven games.

The Bucks went on to win the NBA title against the Suns.

“Just his day-to-day, consistent work ethic, it's not a surprise the career he's had,” Ott said pregame. “Just his ability to match every moment, even in those playoffs where we were banged-up in that series with Milwaukee. Lot of good memories.”

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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April 08, 2026

Kevin Durant's juke sends Dillon Brooks to the floor as Rockets rally past Suns for 7th straight win

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Los Angeles Dodgers icon, longtime MLB coach Davey Lopes dies at 80

The Los Angeles Dodgersannouncedthat franchise icon and longtime MLB coach Davey Lopes died on Wednesday. He was 80 years old.

Lopes is one of the greatest second basemen in Dodgers history. He was a four-time All-Star from 1978-81, an impressive run that started with a Gold Glove Award and culminated in a World Series ring.

He won another World Series as a coach for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. Altogether, between playing and then coaching, Lopes spent 45 years in the majors.

Despite standing only 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, Lopes brought oomph to the plate, where he set a Dodgers record for homers by a second baseman, with 99. He was also swift on the base path, twice finishing as the NL's stolen base leader in the '70s.

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After helping the Dodgers come back from a 2-0 deficit and beat the New York Yankees in six games during the 1981 World Series, Lopes was traded to the Athletics. He spent 1982-84 with the A's, 1984-86 with the Chicago Cubs and 1986-87 with the Houston Astros to round out his playing career.

The East Providence, Rhode Island, native was hired by the Texas Rangers to join manager Bobby Valentine's staff the next year. That jumpstarted Lopes' coaching career, which touched four different decades.

He got his shot as a manager with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000. The Brewers didn't record better than a third-place NL Central finish during his two-plus seasons running the clubhouse. But it wasn't long before Lopes was back coaching, returning to the show as the San Diego Padres' first-base coach in 2003.

Lopes' stay with the Phillies, spanning 2007-10, saw him give the club a boost on the base path as a baserunning advisor. Philadelphia claimed the NL East crown all four years, including in 2008 when it won the World Series.

He wrapped up his coaching career with the Dodgers (2011-15) and Washington Nationals (2016-17).

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April 08, 2026

Los Angeles Dodgers icon, longtime MLB coach Davey Lopes dies at 80

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LeBron James sits out with left foot injury for Lakers, who are already without Doncic and Reaves

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James will sit out theLos Angeles Lakers' game against Oklahoma City on Tuesday night to rest his injured left foot.

Lakers Mavericks Basketball

The Pacific Division champion Lakers are already withoutLuka DoncicandAustin Reaves, who are both sidelined for at least the rest of the regular season with significant injuries. Doncic, Reaves and James are averaging a combined 77.6 points per game this season, or 66.5% of the Lakers' typical nightly scoring output.

The 41-year-old James has been dealing with left foot arthritis and discomfort for much of the regular season, and he has occasionally sat out games to rest. The visit from the Thunder will be the 22nd game he has missed in his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

The Lakers' injury woes in the past week have badly damaged their hopes of being a championship contender in Doncic's first full season with the club.

Both Doncic, the NBA's scoring leader, and Reaves were injured during the Lakers' blowout loss to the Thunder last week. Doncic incurred a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring, and Reaves injured his oblique muscles.

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The Lakers have indicated only that both Doncic and Reaves will miss the rest of this week, but their injuries typically take longer than that to heal in most athletes.

In his first game after the new injuries for Doncic and Reaves last Sunday, James had 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds, butthe Lakers lost 134-128to the struggling Dallas Mavericks.

James is averaging 20.8 points, 7.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game this season. He has knocked over another set of NBA records this season, most recently surpassingRobert Parish's record for career games played.

The Lakers' visit from the defending champion Thunder is the first of three games in four days. Los Angeles plays at Golden State on Thursday and hosts Phoenix on Friday.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

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April 08, 2026

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Chicago Bears HoFer Steve McMichael diagnosed with CTE year after death

Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael has been diagnosed with Stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy,according to the Concussion & CTE Foundation.

McMichael,who died last year at age 67following a five-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was part of the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl-winning team and wasinducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

A degenerative brain disease, CTE has often been found in those who played contact sports, such as football, and others who have experience repetitive head trauma. It’s known to cause cognitive decline, depression and violent mood swings. It can only be diagnosed after death.

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While he was still alive, McMichael pledged to donate his brain.

“By sharing Steve’s diagnosis, we want to raise awareness of the clear connection between CTE and ALS,” said McMichael’s wife, Misty, in a statement. “Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and diagnosed with CTE after death. I donated Steve’s brain to inspire new research into the link between them.”

NFL players are more than four times more likely to develop ALS compared to the general male population, according to a 2021 study led by Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center researchers.

McMichael, who was also known as Mongo, was a five-time All-Pro who played 13 of his 15 NFL seasons for the Bears. He was a key member as a first-team All-Pro for the famed 1985 Bears defense that anchored the franchise's only run to a Super Bowl championship.

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April 08, 2026

Chicago Bears HoFer Steve McMichael diagnosed with CTE year after death

Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael has been diagnosed with Stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy,according...

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