Explained in plain English

What was the Cold War?

The Cold War was a decades-long period of geopolitical tension after World War II, primarily between the US and the Soviet Union. It was a struggle for global influence, fought through proxy wars, espionage, and an arms race, rather than direct military conflict. The idea of countries being pressured over who they associate with, as in the Khamenei funeral story, echoes the Cold War's diplomatic manoeuvres.