As President Donald Trump prepares for his second term, a formidable geopolitical alliance is emerging to counter his administration’s foreign policy ambitions.
On March 14, 2025, reports surfaced that China and Russia have publicly aligned themselves with Iran, denouncing U.S. sanctions and expressing support for Tehran’s efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—which Trump famously abandoned in 2018.
This development signals a unified front against Trump’s plans to renegotiate a tougher nuclear agreement with Iran, posing a significant challenge to his diplomatic strategy.
The Bloomberg report from March 14 highlighted that both Beijing and Moscow have criticized the U.S. for its unilateral sanctions on Iran, arguing that they undermine international stability.
China and Russia, key players in the original JCPOA alongside the U.S., UK, France, and Germany, have long maintained that the deal was a balanced compromise—curtailing Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement during his first term, followed by his “maximum pressure” campaign of intensified sanctions, drove Iran to accelerate its nuclear program, a move that alarmed the international community.
Now, with Trump back in office and pushing for a new deal, China and Russia appear determined to bolster Iran’s position rather than acquiesce to Washington’s demands.
Reuters echoed this sentiment in a March 14 article, noting that Iran has already engaged in preliminary nuclear talks with European diplomats in Geneva over the past few months.
These discussions, involving the UK, France, and Germany, suggest Tehran is exploring multiple diplomatic avenues.
Meanwhile, Trump has reportedly reached out directly to Iranian leadership, with a letter delivered via a senior UAE official on March 12, 2025.
While the contents of the letter remain undisclosed, it’s widely speculated that Trump is seeking to pressure Tehran into negotiations on his terms. However, Iran’s bolstered ties with China and Russia may reduce its incentive to comply.
This alliance is more than a mere diplomatic gesture. Posts on X from March 14 reflect a growing narrative that China and Russia view their support for Iran as a strategic counterweight to U.S. influence.
One user suggested that Trump’s past efforts to isolate China and Russia have backfired, uniting them with Iran against a common adversary.
Another pointed to statements from Chinese and Russian leaders—Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin—emphasizing Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program and branding U.S. sanctions as “illegal.”
While social media sentiment isn’t conclusive evidence, it underscores the perception of a shifting global order.
Economically, China and Russia have vested interests in Iran’s stability.
China, a major importer of Iranian oil, has deepened trade ties with Tehran despite U.S. sanctions, often using alternative payment systems to bypass Western financial networks.
Russia, meanwhile, has collaborated with Iran on military and energy projects, including in Syria, where both nations support the Assad regime.
Their backing of Iran now extends to the nuclear issue, with both countries reportedly advocating for a return to the JCPOA framework rather than a new deal dictated by Trump.
Critically, this alignment challenges the narrative that Trump can easily bend Iran to his will.
During his first term, his sanctions crippled Iran’s economy but failed to halt its nuclear advancements—uranium enrichment levels reportedly reached 60% by 2025, far beyond the JCPOA’s 3.67% cap.
With China and Russia now providing diplomatic and economic lifelines, Iran may feel emboldened to resist Trump’s pressure.
European nations, caught between their NATO ally and their commitment to the JCPOA, face a diplomatic tightrope, as evidenced by their recent talks with Tehran.
