China’s Xi Arrives in Moscow as Putin’s Guest of Honor, Chinese Warship Shows up in Persian Gulf

For years, Jihad Watch has been warning about the red-green axis. As Middle East tensions rise given Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the regime has allied itself with Russia and China — two countries which separately have been strengthening their own relations in the face of Trump’s tariffs. China says that it is “tearing down walls”and “shaking hands” instead of “shaking fists,” in rapid efforts to “diversify” ties amid the escalating trade war with America. Russia is one of those countries with which China is becoming cozier, which not only raises concerns for Western countries and the Indo-Pacific region, but also for the Middle East.

In a menacing turn for Western interests, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow Wednesday for a four day visit as Putin’s “guest of honor” to “deepen mutual trust.” Xi issued a statement in which he hailed “resilient China-Russia ties and called for other countries to stay out of their relationship.” He also hailed the “China-Russia strategic cooperation to jointly promote the process of world multipolarisation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

The red-green axis is strengthening; Iran also factors in. Only three weeks ago, “Russia’s upper house of parliament ratified a sweeping 20-year strategic partnership agreement with Iran,” as it deepened “military and nuclear cooperation.”

As for Iran and China, Iran’s proxy in Yemen, the Houthis, are being cheered on Chinese social media. As reported in an Atlantic Council article: “How China turned the Red Sea into a strategic trap for the US“:

“Salute to the Houthis!” This nationalist cheering appeared across Chinese social media as Western commercial vessels ran a gauntlet of drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea against ships they claimed were traveling to Israel. Meanwhile, ships marked “Chinese Vessel & Crew” sail through these same waters relatively untouched. It’s not a coincidence. Maritime tracking data now confirms what Houthi officials have been openly sharing: Chinese ships receive special treatment in a conflict zone that has become a crucible of hostility toward US interests…

Recent US Treasury sanctions reveal that Houthi leaders, including Mohamed Ali al-Houthi of the Supreme Political Council, coordinated directly with Chinese officials to guarantee their vessels would not be targeted. This informal pact was formalized during diplomatic talks in Oman, culminating in explicit safe passage guarantees, even as drone and missile strikes against US and other Western shipping escalated. UNQUOTE

Iran is also exporting oil to China, in what is described as “a vital economic lifeline,” despite the fact that Trump has warned “any country or individual purchasing oil or petrochemicals from Iran would be subject to immediate US sanctions.” But Iran is bypassing America, or so it appears:

Most of Iran’s crude is sold at a discount to China, which has emerged as its most consistent buyer despite the threat of US sanctions. Analysts estimate Tehran earns between $30 billion (€26.45 billion) and $40 billion annually from these sales.

Another twist: “Chinese Warship Shows Up Amid Rising US-Iran Threat of War,” by Ryan Chan, Newsweek, May 7, 2025:

China dispatched a warship to the Persian Gulf for a visit as tensions between Iran, Beijing’s strategic partner, and the United States continue to grow over the nuclear program of Tehran….

The Associated Press reported in mid-March that China, Russia and Iran conducted joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, “offering a show of force in a region still uneasy over Tehran’s rapidly expanding nuclear program and as Yemen’s Houthi rebels threaten new attacks on ships.”

The British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations Center then reported “GPS interference in the strait, with disruptions lasting for several hours and forcing crews to rely on backup navigation methods.” An intelligence analyst stated the GPS jamming was likely “to reduce the targeting capability of drones and missiles.”

Last Sunday, China Daily posted this on X:

The Baotou (Hull 133), a new-generation guided-missile destroyer of the 47th Chinese naval escort task force, made a port call in #AbuDhabi, #UAE, on Sunday for a five-day replenishment and maintenance period. It is a Type 052DL destroyer, measuring 159 meters in length, with a… pic.twitter.com/DXEchxAm07

— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) May 4, 2025

Iran is being backed by both China and Russia. I wrote in January about Russia and Iran signing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, “pledging to promote a new fair and sustainable multipolar world order.” The two countries have been staunch allies in Russia’s war with Ukraine, with Iran supplying Russia with drones. Now Iran needs favors from Russia in the form of military intelligence, defense and weaponry, as the Islamic regime now finds itself considerably weakened. Both countries have been diminished by war: Iran via its war against Israel, waged through its key proxy, Hizballah, as well as its client Hamas. In addition, Iran has lost another client and strong ally, Syria, with the fall of the Assad regime. Russia, meanwhile, has been in a drawn-out war of attrition with Ukraine.

Max Bergmann from the Center for Strategic & International Studies stated last year:

Russia now really formulates its approach to the region through the prism of confrontation with the West over Ukraine. I would actually argue it’s a confrontation over global order. So, it’s not just about the territorial configuration of Ukraine, but that now dictates Russia’s approach to the Middle East….The logic of confrontation with the West is really dictating Russia’s approach to the region.

So where might Russia’s hostility toward the West leave Israel, considering that Israel is a strong ally of America and also an enemy to Russia’s ally Iran? Georgy Poroskoun, former IDF intelligence officer and current fellow with the Institute for National Security Studies, makes the case that “Israel can push back harder than it has in the past against Moscow’s hostile activities while still meticulously avoiding any risk of a larger conflagration” with Russia. Poroskoun cites what he calls “Israel’s unusual assertiveness” with its “use of force against Hezbollah, Syrian threats, and Iran,” which he says has shown that despite Moscow being a world power associated with the East against the West, it can be pressed into reducing some of its “problematic actions against Israel.”

But America’s presence in these matters is influential. Trump is openly supportive of Israel, while his predecessor, Biden, was hostile to Putin over Ukraine, despite a younger Biden having admitted as far back as 1997 that an eastward NATO expansion into the Baltic states would cause a “vigorous and hostile reaction” by Russia.

Recall what Bergmann stated about Russia’s proclivity toward confrontation with the West. It is really rooted in confrontation over the global order; likewise, the National Security Studies analysis zeroed in on Russia’s policy in the Middle East as consistently aiming to challenge the West for dominance and influence.

There’s no argument that the pursuit of Middle East regional dominance is becoming more threatening daily, as Iran is on the threshold of a nuclear warhead, while China is encroaching. Irans interests are being protected by Russia and China.

As for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait have stated that they will “not permit U.S. warplanes to use their airspace or military bases for any operations against Iran.” Analysts say it’s likely that the aforementioned countries want to avoid conflict with Iran and the Houthis.

Recently, the International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Rafael Grossi warned that Iran has “the pieces…like a puzzle,” and is “not far” from a nuclear bomb, followed by a threat from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would “not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.” The clock is now ticking for Iran, as Trump’s two-month deadline for Iran to reach a nuclear agreement ends in the third week of May. Despite Iran’s alliance with Russia and China, and China’s warship in the Persian Gulf, Israel is left with no choice but to follow through on Netanyahu’s vow to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. And given American interests, Trump cannot allow China, Russia and Iran to dominate the Middle East.