China has deployed air surveillance for western aircraft and missile ships to the Persian Gulf to support the troubled Shi'a fundamentalist, theocratic government. Its also sending missiles and other weapons as the communists found willing clients in Iran.
Iran overplayed its hand against the USA and Israel and that prompted the Dragon to enter the conflict as a belligerent. It may believe that its ships are immune to being sunk. It may view their loss as an excuse to create a general war wherein they could capture Taiwan.
Russia has its hands full in Ukraine, so NATO mobilization in Ukraine and Iran are distinct prospects if a general, no-nuclearđź‘‘war breaks out with limited objectives. That is the west may view Putin's claim on all of Ukraine and Chinese military expansion into the Middle East as preludes to war or at least a grab for global hegemony, if not Armageddon as Iranian 12ers might hope for a long with select Christian fundamentalist pre-tribbers. China should recall its ships rather than stick the out there hoping for a limited World War Three to start.
China has long supply lines to Iran and no clear path to bringing reinforcements while Russia would need to keep its own homeland secure. Russia may not regard a future role as puppet of China as an ideal path to take, and could choose to let Iran become the sole nephew of the neo-communists, atheist Chinese leadership.
Iranian hatred of Israel is a strange thing; they would have been better off simply having a defense force as Japan and forgetting the nuclear war that only leads to mass destruction and death. Theoretically they could resolve their differences with the west instantly by forgoing nuclear weapons and asking the west for help.
The west could have avoided the Ukraine war with realpolitik sharing East Ukraine with Russia and stopping NATO expansion Eastward toward Moscow. A lot of money and lives have been lost because of an excess of greed, pride and power.
China, if recognizing Taiwan independence would have gained Taiwanese and western trust and better economic relations. Except for so much pride where people believe force is best, the world would be a better place