How China and Russia keep Iran armed and dangerous

Excerpt

Iran’s extensive list of demands for opening the Strait of Hormuz has many scratching their heads and wondering how to make sense of a frenetic U.S. approach toward a regime in Tehran that is exercising influence.

A significant reason for Iran’s resilience, lethality and leverage is the growing support Tehran is receiving from China and Russia. These two nations were nowhere to be found when Israel and the United States struck Iranian nuclear and military sites in June 2025, leaving Iran to defend itself.

Bradley Bowman is a co-author of the book “Axis of Aggressors: Countering the Cooperation of China, Russia, Iran & North Korea” and the senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Cameron McMillan is a senior research analyst.