The world is entering a new era of geopolitical realignment — one where economic blocs are transforming into military coalitions. What began as an alliance for trade and development has now evolved into a strategic counterweight to Western dominance. BRICS — now encompassing Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Iran — is no longer confined to currency swaps and trade summits.
It is rapidly turning into a security network, and its latest moves signal that it is willing to protect its members and allies through direct and indirect military support.
From Chinese propellant shipments to Iranian missile plants, to Russian jet overhauls in Venezuela, the BRICS alliance is stepping into a new role — as a shield for nations under Western pressure.
Iran’s Missile Comeback: China’s Chemical Lifeline
Following its devastating June 2025 conflict with Israel, Iran’s missile arsenal was left severely weakened. Key production sites were bombed, and stockpiles were depleted. During that 12-day war, China and Russia stayed largely silent — a decision Tehran later called a “missed bus.”
But now, the bus has returned — with a vengeance.
European intelligence agencies recently uncovered that Chinese cargo ships transported over 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate to Iran between September and October 2025. The shipments, routed through Bandar Abbas port, are enough to produce propellant for 500 medium-range ballistic missiles such as the Kheibar Shekan and Haj Qasem.
These deliveries come on top of 1,000 tons shipped earlier this year aboard vessels like the Golbon and Jairan. Together, they mark an unprecedented acceleration in Iran’s rearmament.
China denies any wrongdoing, insisting the chemical is for civilian use, but Western officials note that sodium perchlorate is a key precursor in missile fuel. The U.S. Treasury has already sanctioned Chinese companies involved, accusing them of aiding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Tehran, however, sees this as payback — and preparation. Its officials now describe missiles as “the primary deterrent” against Israel and the U.S., while Chinese shipments allow Iran to replenish 85% of its lost capacity within months.
Russia and Iran: Strategic Partners in Arms
The military relationship between Moscow and Tehran has deepened rapidly since the signing of the Russia-Iran Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in early 2025.
Under this pact, Iran supplies drones and ammunition to Russia’s war in Ukraine, while Moscow provides advanced missile and air defense technology in return. Over 4,000 tons of Iranian ammunition reportedly reached Russia in 2024, solidifying Iran’s position as an “ammunition hub” for the Kremlin.
Now, Russian cargo planes are supplementing Chinese shipments to Iran, forming a trilateral logistical network that defies Western sanctions. For Moscow, this partnership strengthens its southern flank and sustains its war machine. For Tehran, it provides access to advanced radar systems, missile guidance tech, and crucial geopolitical backing.
Venezuela’s Appeal: BRICS Enters the Western Hemisphere
As tensions rise in Latin America, Venezuela has become the latest flashpoint in the emerging BRICS security architecture. Facing a large-scale U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean — the most significant since the Cold War — President Nicolás Maduro has turned to Russia, China, and Iran for urgent military assistance.
According to The Washington Post, classified documents reveal that Venezuela sent letters in late October 2025 requesting “immediate” help in the form of radar systems, fighter jet repairs, missiles, and drones.
The responses were swift and strategic:
Russia agreed to overhaul Su-30MK2 fighter jets, supply replacement engines, and enhance radar systems. A new “Sovereignty Defense” treaty, ratified in late October, formalized military coordination between Moscow and Caracas.
China pledged to expand cooperation on surveillance and radar technology under the banner of “ideological solidarity” against U.S. interference.
Iran offered 1,000-kilometer-range drones, GPS jammers, and passive detectors — crucial for countering U.S. electronic warfare operations.
Venezuela’s push for BRICS membership — blocked earlier by Brazil over election disputes — now seems more plausible as it positions itself as BRICS’ Latin American stronghold.
Drone Diplomacy: Tehran’s Tech in Caracas
One of the most significant yet underreported developments is the Iran-Venezuela drone cooperation program. Building on a 2006 defense pact, the two nations have established a full-fledged drone manufacturing facility at El Libertador Air Base in Maracay.
Iranian engineers are currently overseeing the production of three models:
Drone Model Base Type Range/Use
ANSU-100 Mohajer-2 variant 200 km / Surveillance
ANSU-600 Mohajer-6 class 2,000 km / Armed strike
ZAMORA V-1 Shahed-131 type 900 km / Kamikaze/Anti-ship
These drones are assembled using components shipped aboard Iranian Mahan Air flights under oil-for-gold deals, a method that skirts international monitoring. The U.S. has warned that this technology could spread to non-state actors or neighboring states like Colombia, where Venezuelan drones have already violated airspace.
For Venezuela, these drones provide a cheap but potent deterrent against U.S. naval assets. For Iran, it’s a strategic export that extends its influence across the Atlantic.
China’s Broader Web of Influence
China’s involvement in both Iran and Venezuela goes far beyond the military sphere. Its 25-year strategic pact with Tehran, renewed in 2025, pledges over $400 billion in investments covering oil, infrastructure, and dual-use technologies. Beijing’s state firms also enjoy privileged access to Iranian energy resources, effectively bypassing Western sanctions.
In Venezuela, China has poured over $60 billion in loans since 2007 — most tied to oil-backed repayment deals. These funds support not only infrastructure and energy projects but also joint radar and surveillance production.
Through these deep economic and defense ties, Beijing has positioned itself as the financial engine behind BRICS’ military rise.
BRICS’ Militarized Pivot
The BRICS alliance today controls around 45% of the world’s population and 35% of global GDP. But its real shift has been ideological and strategic.
At the July 2025 Rio summit, Iran pushed for BRICS to move beyond trade and into defense cooperation. The bloc’s subsequent naval exercise, Maritime Security Belt 2025, included warships from Russia, China, and Iran, signaling its growing willingness to coordinate militarily.
Putin, in the October Kazan summit, framed it as “multipolar security cooperation” — a direct challenge to NATO’s dominance.
Venezuela, backed by Cuba, now seeks observer status in these drills, aiming to extend BRICS’ strategic footprint into the Western Hemisphere.
However, not all members are aligned. India remains cautious, wary of being drawn into anti-West confrontations. This lack of a formal defense clause prevents BRICS from becoming a NATO-style alliance — at least for now.
Flashpoints and the Road Ahead
The rapid militarization of BRICS raises pressing concerns. Western powers are already monitoring Chinese “shadow fleets” that transport dual-use materials to sanctioned nations. The U.S. and EU are expanding sanctions on Chinese and Iranian shipping companies, but with limited success.
As more drone factories, missile propellant shipments, and joint exercises take shape, the risk of miscalculation grows. A drone entering the wrong airspace or a naval skirmish in the Caribbean could ignite a crisis that pulls multiple nations into conflict.
For Iran and Venezuela, this cooperation is about survival and sovereignty. For China and Russia, it’s about building a world less dependent on Western rules. And for the global system, it’s a sign that the next great confrontation may not begin with armies — but with trade ships, chemicals, and drones.
The Age of Armed Alliances
BRICS has crossed a historic threshold. No longer just an economic bloc, it is emerging as a geopolitical and military force. China and Russia’s direct support to Iran and Venezuela marks the start of a new phase — where economic partnerships transform into armed alliances.
As the West doubles down on sanctions and containment, the BRICS powers are building their own supply chains, defense networks, and strategic industries. Whether this becomes a stable counterbalance or a prelude to a new cold war will depend on one question:
Can the world manage a multipolar order — when every pole is armed?
