BREAKING — China, Russia, North Korea and Iran are deepening their strategic and military cooperation, fueling fresh speculation about the emergence of a new bloc that could challenge the existing global security order.
The four countries have increasingly strengthened defence, diplomatic and economic ties in recent years, with Russia maintaining close partnerships with China, North Korea and Iran.
However, there is no confirmed announcement that the four countries have created a formal military alliance comparable to NATO.
Growing Military Cooperation
Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that includes provisions for mutual assistance in the event of aggression. China and Russia have also significantly expanded their strategic and defence cooperation.
Russia and Iran signed a long-term partnership agreement in 2025, although analysts note that the agreement does not create a NATO-style mutual-defence obligation.
North Korea has also developed increasingly close military ties with Moscow, while China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are frequently discussed together because of their growing cooperation and opposition to aspects of the U.S.-led international order.
Is a New NATO Being Created?
Despite growing cooperation, analysts caution against describing the group as a new NATO.
A recent analysis of the China-Russia-North Korea relationship found that the countries do not currently have a unified command structure, common military hierarchy or NATO-style collective-defence mechanism.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation also brings several of these countries together, but it does not provide the same collective-defence guarantee as NATO.
NATO itself has highlighted the growing strategic partnership between Russia and China and their expanding defence-industrial cooperation with Iran and North Korea.
A Changing Global Security Landscape
The closer relationships between the four countries come as military spending, defence cooperation and geopolitical competition increase across several regions.
Whether their growing cooperation eventually develops into a formal military alliance remains uncertain.
For now, the evidence points to increasing strategic coordination rather than the creation of a new NATO-style military bloc.
This is a developing story. More updates will follow as governments provide further details.
BREAKING: China, Russia, North Korea and Iran Deepen Military Cooperation Amid Talk of New Alliance
by marshall:
5:16pm On Sep 19, 2026