(SeaPRwire) –
By: Marcus Sinclair
A chilling narrative unfolds with a new book from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. It paints a picture of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea forming a strategically aligned bloc, even without a formal mutual-defense treaty. This grouping poses a significant challenge to the United States, as it could plunge the nation into simultaneous crises. Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, one of the book’s authors, starkly notes, “When I’m in Ukraine, it’s clear Ukraine is fighting Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China.” The book, titled “Axis of Aggressors: Countering the Cooperation of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea,” delves into how these four authoritarian governments support each other across military, economic, cyber, and technology domains.
The authors make it clear this is not a NATO-style alliance. There’s no unified command or complete trust among members. Yet, practical effects are evident in active conflicts. From Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2025, researchers documented 616 instances of security cooperation, including arms transfers, weapons development, and intelligence sharing. Montgomery highlights China’s role in backstopping Russia’s economy, providing microelectronics for missiles. North Korea supplies Russia with artillery rounds and troops, while Russia aids North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs. Iran provides drones to Russia, and the book warns this cooperation could help Tehran rebuild military capabilities.
Economic ties underpin the military cooperation. Co-author Elaine Dezenski describes the four-country economy as a “fractured alignment.” China buys discounted Russian and Iranian energy, while Russia and Iran compete to sell similar products. But Dezenski notes these divisions don’t overshadow the benefits of cooperation. China purchases up to 95% of Iran’s oil exports, with some sanctioned oil routed through third countries. Additionally, China, Russia, and Iran are developing payment systems outside Western banking infrastructure, using the yuan through CIPS, which could reduce Washington’s ability to enforce sanctions.
The threat extends to cyber warfare. Montgomery states the line between criminal hackers and government operatives is blurred in these countries. Ties involve Iranian cybercriminals, Russian ransomware groups, and state-backed hackers from Russia and North Korea sharing infrastructure. Carrie Filipetti, executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition, points to the Tower 22 attack in Jordan, where an Iranian drone and Russian tactics were used, endangering U.S. troops. She warns, “These adversaries don’t agree on everything, but they do on reorienting the world away from America and the West.”
Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Newton emphasizes the danger isn’t just military modernization in each country but their increasing coordination. The changing nature of warfare, seen in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and U.S.-Iran tensions, compounds the threat. The U.S. faces a complex challenge in handling multiple crises simultaneously. The “simultaneity problem” means addressing one issue can’t happen in isolation. A conflict with China over Taiwan could see North Korea threatening South Korea, while a Russia-NATO conflict might have Iranian involvement. The U.S. must recognize this unified threat and act accordingly.
Author bio: Marcus Sinclair, a Senior Fellow at a prominent European geopolitical and security think tank, specializes in analyzing transnational security threats and geopolitical alignments.