How Russia and China Benefit from Iran’s Conflict

 

Iran has carried out precision strikes on strategic installations in Israel and the United States that have stunned military analysts. The series of precision strikes, coordinated drone strikes, and tactical strikes have Westerners wondering how Iran became so powerful overnight.

But the reality is that behind Iran's capabilities lies a complex international network. This secret network is built on the combination of Russian satellite and intelligence information, drone warfare experience, and Chinese technology and drone equipment. Russia and China are indirectly benefiting greatly from this war without actively participating in it. As a result, this conflict has become a global competition in which the real winners control the outcome of the war without being on the battlefield. How Russia and China are helping Iran and how Russia and China are benefiting from this war will be discussed.

Although Russia's role in the Iran-Iraq war is not directly visible, Moscow has a significant influence on Iran's military activities. Russia has provided some assistance on the battlefield that is extremely valuable for a modern war. Russia's contribution is especially high in the field of satellite intelligence. Various reports say that Russia has provided Iran with precise information about the location of US warships, aircraft and military bases. This information comes mainly from Russia's Liana spy satellite system, which was designed to detect the movement of warships and military vehicles at sea. As a result, Iran is not only attacking based on guesswork, but is also able to strike specific targets. The Ukrainian president also claimed that Russian satellites are taking pictures of various US bases in the Middle East and providing them to Iran. Without this technical assistance from Russia, Iran's counterattack would not have been so strong.

Another important aspect of Russian assistance is the experience and tactics of drone warfare. The experience that Russia has gained by using drones for a long time in the Ukraine war has been directly transferred to Iran. The way Iran is attacking, especially by first sending swarms of drones to weaken US or Israeli defenses and then striking specific targets. This is largely a reflection of the strategy used by Russia. Russia is helping Iran not only strategically, but also technically. Russian cameras, advanced navigation systems, and even anti-jamming technology have been added to further improve the Shahed drones. As a result, Iran's drone attacks have become much more effective than before. Russian assistance is not limited to satellites or drones. According to various sources, Moscow is regularly providing Iran with intelligence, military experts, and important components of weapons. This assistance is affecting every stage of planning, preparation, and implementation of the battlefield. Russia is also providing Iran with signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities. Using which, Iran's attacks on US targets are becoming more coordinated and accurate. China's supply chain system has long played an important role in the continuous improvement of Iran's military power.

Even in the current war situation, it may seem from the outside that China may be in a neutral position. But in reality, Beijing is providing economic and technological support in a way that is quietly strengthening Iran's military capabilities. Many analysts describe the entire system as an Axis of Evasion, or a secret network of sanctions evasion. It is a network in which China, Russia, and Iran work together to evade Western sanctions. China plays the most important role in this network. Because China buys oil from Russia and Iran and keeps the Russian and Iranian economies afloat. In return, Russia and Iran use the money from the oil sales to buy advanced technologies from China. 

By buying technology and equipment. In this way, they have built a separate economic and technological system beyond Western sanctions. China's role in Iran's drone attacks is particularly important. Iran's Shahed drones are not made entirely of domestic raw materials. Many of the important components inside these drones come from abroad. These include electronic circuits, navigation systems, batteries, and semiconductors.

It is not that all of these are manufactured in China. Several components manufactured in Western countries are purchased through various Chinese companies and then delivered to Iran. As a result, Iran is able to continue producing its drones and is regularly producing new drones despite the sanctions. Various Chinese industries supply some components that can be used to make rocket fuel, propellants, and explosives.

These components are not sent directly from China to Iran but are sent through various countries to avoid sanctions. China is not only supplying military supplies and components. Rather, it is also providing support for various types of military technology such as drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles. This support has greatly strengthened Iran's air and sea defense capabilities, which play a significant role during the war. Another important support from China is the satellite navigation technology. Iran uses China's BeiDou system to create false signals to confuse the enemy, as well as to keep their military movements secret.

The support of Russia and China is not at all selfless. Rather, it is an equation of deep mutual interest in which Iran also has many rewards. When Moscow was under pressure from Western sanctions after the start of the Ukraine war, Iran provided Russia with drones, ammunition, artillery shells, firearms, short-range ballistic missiles, helmets and body armor. In 2022, Iran provided Russia with its Shahed Kamaka work drone technology, 600 open drones, 1300 drone parts, and training and technical assistance. Russia then added a Russian satellite navigation module called Comet B to the Shahed drone, which can prevent jamming. Iran is currently receiving the same benefit that it did to Russia. Before the war, Russia's oil revenues were quite bad.

Due to the tension in the Strait of Hormuz, the price of oil has risen above $100 per barrel. And Russia is the one who is benefiting the most from this price increase. That is why, according to many experts, Russia does not actually want a complete victory for Iran. As long as this war continues, Russia will continue to benefit economically. On the other hand, China's interests are larger and longer-term. Iran is not only an ally for China but also an important energy supplier. Through long-term contracts, China is getting large amounts of oil from Iran at low prices. Which is very important for China's economy.

is playing a big role. At the same time, both China and Iran are able to continue their transactions in their alternative economic systems without using dollars. The instability created in the oil market due to this war has also provided a strategic opportunity for China. Because they have already bought and stored a large amount of Iranian oil cheaply. China is benefiting not only economically but also geopolitically. While the United States is busy with the Middle East, China is getting the opportunity to increase its influence in Asia and global trade. At the same time, China is getting the opportunity to closely monitor the military activities of the United States and improve their future strategies. So that if the war in the Middle East continues, China can take the opportunity to seize Taiwan. Although Russia and China have made significant contributions to the recent war in Iran, none of the allies are helping Iran to its full extent.

Because there is no formal military alliance between them and neither Russia nor China wants to get involved in the war directly. Their assistance is being given in such a way that Russia and China themselves do not face any major risks. At the same time, they can also gain strategic and economic benefits from the war. In many respects, they have not left Iran completely alone, and in reality, they are not providing any significant assistance.