Russia and Iran are teaming up, possibly with the connivance of China, in challenging American interests around the world. This is a strategic threat to the United States for several reasons.

1) Russia wants to maximize its power in the Middle East, as that area holds American allies and oil supplies. It has become more vital to the Russians since the Biden administration dropped the Trump program of American energy independence. It also wants to control the oil supply in that area to guarantee that the region becomes less of a competitor in selling oil to Europe. Russia wants an energy stranglehold on Europe.

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2) With the American pullout from both Iraq and Afghanistan a power vacuum in the region has ensued. Iran has already made great strides in influencing the Iraqi government. Russia has, as any student of recent history knows, interests in Afghanistan, not to mention a score to settle. All these nations border each other, with China not far off to the east. Any alliance between them, especially if Iran would de facto annex Iraq after a campaign of internal destabilization, would shift the power in the region decidedly against American interests.

3) Both Iran and Russia are third rate powers, second rate at best. The only thing that makes them both players is oil. Yes, Russia has nukes. But their strategic forces are a shadow of the former Soviet forces. An alliance between the two, especially if there was an outright anschluss between Iran and Iraq, would vault them to serious player status in the international community. That means something to both nations. Russia desires to heal her burned pride from her loss of empire and her defeat in the Cold War. Iran is a fanatical theocracy that believes it is a first rate nation out of delusion and arrogance. Thus, the Iranian Navy visit to Russia is an indicator of far larger goals of both nations.

FNC: “The Danish military said Thursday it spotted an Iranian destroyer and a large support vessel sailing through the Baltic Sea, likely heading to Russia for a military parade in the coming days. The Danish Defense Ministry posted photographs online from the Royal Danish Air Force of the new domestically built Iranian destroyer Sahand and the intelligence-gathering vessel Makran passing by the Danish island of Bornholm.

The two vessels left Iran’s Bandar Abbas port in May. Images from Maxar Technologies dated April 28 appear to show seven Iranian fast-attack craft typically associated with its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard on the deck of the Makran. The Danish military photos showed those seven vessels covered and still aboard the Makran on Thursday. The fast-attack craft aboard the Makran are the type that the Guard uses in its tense encounters with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz.”

“It is expected that they are on their way to the annual naval parade in St. Petersburg,” the Danish military wrote on Twitter.