BLUF: Axis of Upheaval Conduct Joint Exercises

This week, and for the fifth year in a row, China, Iran, and Russia launched their annual joint naval exercise, showcasing the group’s increasing military, political, and economic cooperation. Taking place off the Iranian coast, the drills come at a sore point in Transatlantic relations, and as America and Iran trade jabs over the latter's nuclear ambitions.

Over the past decade, China has steadily expanded the scope of its joint military cooperation with other long standing American adversaries, a trend that has rapidly intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russia has greatly benefitted from the supply of dual-use items and technology transfers from China that have kept the Russian war machine afloat, while expanding their confidence to test American resolve through actions such as last year’s joint bomber exercise near Alaska. Iran has similarly benefitted militarily from technology transfers with China, and agreed to a lucrative energy-security deal in 2021 that has helped Tehran evade Western sanctions while providing cheap oil to Beijing.

With talks scheduled for tomorrow in Beijing to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, it doesn't look like the growing ties between this new axis show any signs of cracks. China’s growing military partnerships with adversaries, other than just bolstering Beijing’s strength in the Indo-Pacific, is allowing the CCP to project power into American geostrategic conflict areas like the Middle East and Eastern Europe, creating a dilemma for policymakers in Washington split between where to commit our full attention.

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