Iran is intensifying its financial and military partnerships with China and Russia as a strategy to circumvent U.S. sanctions and withstand the renewed "maximum pressure" campaign, regional security analysts reported.
This deepening of ties comes as President Donald Trump announced what he described as the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country," warning of severe repercussions for any nations or businesses that provide Iran with economic support. Trump characterized the initiative as "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale."
Analysts suggest that the Islamic Republic is adapting to U.S. and Israeli military pressure, as well as American economic and political actions, by strengthening its alignment with Russia and China. These nations have also faced U.S. economic and political challenges in the past.
Key forums for Iran's outreach include BRICS, an economic bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and several expansion nations, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance led by China and Russia.
Abdolnasser Hemmati, governor of Iran's Central Bank, indicated that Tehran plans to join the BRICS-backed New Development Bank, although the bank has not yet confirmed Iran's membership. Analysts view Iran's participation in these blocs as an attempt to create a shield against U.S. economic and political pressure and to become more formally integrated into economic orders shaped by Russia and China, which are seen as seeking to challenge the U.S. dollar and American global influence.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, warned that policymakers in Washington need to recognize the growing interconnectedness of these state-level threats. He described these relationships as independent but coalescing into an "authoritarian axis" that is better positioned to manage internal differences than the Western liberal order.
Reports also indicate that Russia is supplying Iran with ammunition, drone components, and TNT through Caspian Sea shipping routes. This support is seen as crucial for Iran's efforts to adapt to U.S. military and economic pressure, enabling the country to survive and continue challenging the U.S. presence in the region.
Taleblu further characterized Iran as a central player in both the "Axis of Aggressors"—a coalition of authoritarian states including Russia, China, and North Korea—and the "Axis of Resistance," Tehran's network of regional proxy groups. He highlighted Iran's role as a bridge for capabilities, funding, and technology to flow from state actors to non-state actors, posing a significant threat to U.S. interests and the broader liberal world order.