The leaders of US adversaries Iran, Russia and China are working together to dominate their respective regions and undermine US security and values, Senator John Kennedy said on Thursday.
"I am convinced, based on classified classified information, that President Xi in China is working with President Putin in Russia and is working with the Ayatollah in Iran against the United States of America and western values, including, but not limited to freedom," the Louisiana Republican said in congress.
Russia plays a pivotal role in Iran's nuclear infrastructure, leading initiatives such as the expansion of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Iranian drones have aided Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading to stricter US-led sanctions.
Iran's president said shortly after the election of President Donald Trump that the country seeks greater cooperation with Beijing and Moscow to confront what he called Washington's unilateralism.
"I believe their ultimate goal was to have Iran dominate the Middle East," Kennedy added, saying Moscow sought to hold sway over Eastern and Central Europe.
China's Xi Jinping, whom Kennedy described as "the quarterback of this ball club" would control the Indo-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and South America.
Tehran and Beijing inked a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016 aimed at increasing bilateral trade to $600 billion by 2026. However, trade volume reached just $12.5 billion last year according to the International Monetary Fund.
China remains Iran's largest trade partner and purchases nearly all of Iran's crude oil in defiance of US sanctions.
"I don't want America to be the world's policeman, but I don't want President Xi or President Putin or the Ayatollah in Iran to be the world's policeman either," Kennedy said.
The objectives of our enemies, if I am correct, is not a world that would be safe for America. Weakness invites the wars. We have to spend more money on defense."
Fellow Republican senators on Tuesday told Iran International that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was unwise to dismiss nuclear talks with the United States and President Trump is no paper tiger.
