China and Russia are not direct participants in the Iran war, but behind the scenes they are both exerting their influence through acts of commission and omission. The pair are putting their long-standing economic and military ties with Tehran to use, in part to make life difficult for their global rival, the US.
According to Reuters, Washington suspects that Moscow has provided targeting information to Iran, enabling it to hit US military assets and perhaps even CIA facilities in the Gulf. Russia may also have enhanced the effectiveness of Iranian drones by supplying a more advanced satellite navigation system.
China, which signed a 25-year cooperation deal with Iran in 2021, is also reportedly providing satellite imagery and shoulder-fired air-defense systems, though Beijing has generally kept further back from the conflict and the diplomatic efforts to end it.