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Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea Are Joining Forces Against America — and Israel
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a documents signing ceremony in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool
America’s adversaries have forged an axis of global instability. Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea exploit trade, technology, and diplomacy to undermine US influence and disrupt the global order. Yet, longstanding cracks in their relationships reveal the limits of their transactional partnerships. To prevail, the United States must double down on its authentic partnerships and innovate new forms of cooperation that outpace its adversaries.
Despite lacking a shared ideology, Tehran, Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang have cooperated since the Cold War to counter Washington, with aims at controlling trade routes, reshaping regional balances of power, challenging global norms, and reducing US influence. For example, Iran’s nuclear and missile programs have used North Korean technology, with nuclear plans tracing back to AQ Khan’s proliferation network in the 1990s.
Building on their shared ambition, America’s adversaries have intensified their military cooperation, making countering any single axis member more challenging.
For more than three years, Russia’s war against Ukraine has provided insights into Western equipment that Ukrainian forces used, while Iran, China, and North Korea continue to provide Russia with military support through personnel, weaponry, and intelligence.
Israel’s campaign in June dealt a severe blow to Iran’s dangerous ballistic missile and nuclear programs, but adversaries will prepare for future fights by studying Iranian missile adaptations that occasionally penetrated joint US-Israeli air defenses and the capabilities of US aircraft, like F-35 fighter jets and B-2 bombers.
Collaboration among US adversaries has significantly increased their capacity to acquire weaponry, accelerating military modernization and circumventing arms restrictions. Beyond directly supplying Russia with Iranian drones, Iran’s construction of a drone factory on Russian territory to produce Iranian Shahed drones has enabled Russia to launch thousands of them against Ukraine. China has delivered ballistic missile fuel components to Iran — a key danger that prompted Israel to begin Operation Rising Lion in June — while both China and Russia have also provided intelligence and other forms of military support to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. Now, Moscow, Beijing, and Pyongyang could help Tehran replenish its depleted missile and air defense stocks and production capacity after the 12-Day War.
Beyond the battlefield, US adversaries have used trade and multilateral diplomacy to weaken Washington’s influence and undermine global norms. Chinese purchases of Iranian and Russian oil have provided both countries with critical revenue streams to fuel their aggression, despite Western sanctions. Beyond bilateral efforts, Russia and China continue expanding multilateral organizations like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to undermine US-led alliances and strengthen their own influence. Russia and China have also provided critical support and resources to Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs, undermining global nonproliferation. Moscow and Beijing may oppose an Iranian nuclear bomb, but will likely support Tehran diplomatically and economically, aiding its nuclear ambitions.
Yet, the world’s most dangerous partnerships remain based on transactional interests, not real solidarity. While these countries share an aim to weaken US influence, competing goals limit their cooperation. The axis’s limitations were apparent during the 12-Day War when Iran stood alone. Underscoring their transactional relationship, Moscow even reportedly refused a request from Tehran for Iranian-designed, Russian-produced Shahed drones after Israeli strikes damaged Iran’s domestic production.
In contrast, the axis’s weaknesses are the United States’ greatest strength: a resilient network of alliances built on mutual interests. For decades, the United States has cultivated enduring alliances grounded in the confidence of America’s friends that when challenges arise the United States will stand by them. None more so than Israel.
As US adversaries grow closer, America must strengthen these alliance networks. The United States should pursue continued strategic-based integration with Israel, which proved during the 12-Day War to be the only US partner willing and able to mount a preemptive offensive against a revisionist axis nation. Developing US-Israel-Arab and US-Ukraine common operating pictures should also be a priority to strengthen regional security.
US leadership can also expand recent advances in Middle Eastern air defense cooperation to include maritime safety, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism. With Iran looking to rebuild its nuclear and missile programs, a tailored mutual defense agreement to support Israel against existential threats would help deter Iranian escalation. On the economic front, promoting the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) provides strategic alternatives to vulnerable trade routes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that Iran has threatened to close.
To counter increased cooperation among US adversaries, the United States should deepen defense industrial partnerships, especially in the Middle East. Coproducing air defense systems like Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow with Israel, acquiring Arrow batteries, and investing in new technologies will enhance security. Collaborating with Arab nations can also bolster regional defenses against Iran, while reducing opportunities for Chinese or Russian arms sales.
By forging bold, tailored, future-focused alliances, Washington can outmaneuver revisionist powers and break the cycle of regional unrest. America’s authentic action-based friendships provide unrivaled advantages and opportunities for greater security and shared prosperity.
Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, USN (ret.) is the former Chief of Naval Operations and a 2019 Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) Generals & Admirals Program participant. Ari Cicurel is the associate director of foreign policy at JINSA.
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Netherlands Calls on EU to Sanction Yemen’s Houthis After Ship Attack
Personnel from EU maritime mission Eunavfor Aspides’ transport a casualty during rescue operation following an attack by Yemen’s Houthis on the Dutch-flagged general cargo ship Minervagracht, which caught fire in the Gulf of Aden, in this screengrab taken from handout video released on Sept. 30, 2025. Photo: Eunavfor Aspides via X/Handout via REUTERS
The Netherlands called on the EU on Wednesday to sanction Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist group, after the Islamist organization claimed responsibility for an attack on the Dutch-flagged general cargo ship Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden.
The Iran-aligned group has launched numerous assaults on vessels in the Red Sea since 2023, targeting ships they deem linked to Israel in what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war on Gaza.
“The Houthis have long posed a serious threat to freedom of navigation,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Countries including the United States, Israel, Canada, and Australia have labeled the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, as a terrorist organization.
EU DECISION WOULD IMPLY ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
A potential EU decision to add the group to its terrorist list — which currently includes 13 individuals and 22 groups or entities — would imply economic sanctions and the freezing of funds and assets.
Monday’s strike on the Minervagracht injured two sailors and forced a helicopter evacuation of 19 crew members, according to the EU maritime mission Aspides and the vessel’s operator.
The Houthis‘ military spokesperson said the attack was carried out by a cruise missile.
Amsterdam-based operator Spliethoff said Minervagracht was in international waters in the Gulf of Aden when it was hit, suffering substantial damage and a fire.
The Houthis said they attacked Minervagracht because its owner violated “the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine.”
It was the first Houthi attack on a commercial ship since Sept. 1, when they targeted Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray near Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
In July, the Houthis attacked and sank the Magic Seas bulk carrier and Eternity C cargo ship in the Red Sea.
The last significant Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden was on the Singapore-flagged Lobivia container ship in July 2024.
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Iranian Commander Points to Potential Missile Range Increase
People look at the apparent remains of a ballistic missile following a missile attack by Iran on Israel, in northern Israel, June 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Avi Ohayon
The range of Iran’s missiles will be increased to any point deemed necessary, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander told the semi-official Fars news agency on Wednesday, in response to what he said were Western demands to curb Tehran’s missiles.
Demands by the US and some European countries to impose restrictions on Iran’s missile capabilities have been one of the issues blocking the path to a nuclear deal, according to Iranian officials.
Western countries fear Iran’s uranium enrichment program could yield material for an atomic warhead and that it seeks to develop a ballistic missile to carry one. Tehran denies pursuing nuclear weapons.
Iranian missiles have a self-imposed range of 2,000 km, which officials in the past said was enough to protect the country as this range can cover the distance to Israel.
However, as launchers based in Iran’s western provinces were targeted by Israeli fighter jets in June, Tehran gradually launched missiles from further east in its territory – which require longer range.
“Our missiles will reach the range that they need to,” deputy inspector of the Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters Mohammadjafar Asadi told Fars news agency.
He added the power and range of Iranian missiles had limited the war initiated by Israel in June to 12 days. Tehran retaliated with hundreds of missile launches on Israeli territory.
After bombing Iranian nuclear sites which led Iran to target the US Al Udeid base in Qatar, US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire to end the conflict.
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Trump Order Pledges US Will Defend Qatar in Event of Attack
US President Donald Trump in the Oval office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 30, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
US President Donald Trump has pledged to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States’ own security, according to a document published on Wednesday that says US forces could step in to defend the Middle Eastern nation.
The executive order – which appears to significantly deepen the US commitment to its Middle East ally – comes after Israel last month attempted to kill leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Doha.
That strike, launched with little advance notice to the Trump administration, caused consternation in Washington given the close US relationship with Qatar, which hosts the largest US military base in the region.
PLEDGE TO RESPOND
The document was dated Monday, the day Trump hosted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and presented a proposal for ending the war in Gaza. Qatar has been a key mediator between the US and Israel and Hamas over the war.
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the order said.
“In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”
The document said top US defense and intelligence officials will maintain contingency planning with Qatar to ensure a rapid response to any attacks.
Neighboring Saudi Arabia has long sought similar guarantees as part of Washington’s efforts to normalize relations between Riyadh and Israel, but such a deal has not materialized. Last month, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.
QATARI JETLINER GIFT
While the president can negotiate collective defense treaties like the one that created NATO, it requires Senate confirmation to become law. An executive order can be repealed by any US president in the future and it is unclear what would compel the US to fulfill the commitment.
Trump‘s order goes beyond a 2022 order by his predecessor Joe Biden that designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, allowing increased military cooperation but falling short of promising to defend Qatar if attacked.
There was no US military response when Qatar came under attack by Iran in June after a US strike on nuclear facilities in Iran.
The Trump administration in May officially accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jetliner as a gift from Qatar and the military is working to prepare it for use as a new Air Force One to transport President Donald Trump. Trump dismissed legal and ethical concerns over the plane’s transfer.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Doha after the Israeli strike, and said an enhanced defense cooperation agreement was being finalized with Qatar.