China transferred surface-to-air missile systems to Iran following the ceasefire with Israel, the Middle East Eye reported Monday, citing an Arab diplomatic source. According to the report, Iran is bartering oil in exchange for the systems. The report has not been independently verified.
The missile shipments reportedly began after an effective ceasefire was reached between Iran and Israel on June 24. Other Arab officials told the outlet that Arab states allied with the US are aware of Tehran's efforts to reinforce and upgrade its air defense systems, and that the White House has been briefed on the developments.
The sources did not specify how many missiles China has delivered to Iran since the end of the fighting but confirmed that the Islamic Republic is paying for them with oil shipments. China is Iran's largest oil customer, purchasing approximately 90% of the country's exports, according to previous publications by organizations monitoring the issue.
According to Middle East Eye, the weapons transfers point to deepening ties between Beijing and Tehran. During the war, the Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israel, but Chinese President Xi Jinping refrained from using similar language and instead called for de-escalation and an end to the fighting.
Iran's air defense systems were severely damaged by Israel during the war, with the IDF achieving air superiority over western Iran and Tehran early in the conflict. Most of Iran's air defense infrastructure has relied on Russian systems like the S-300 and other domestically produced models.
The Chinese systems have demonstrated effectiveness in previous conflicts, including the India-Pakistan standoff, where reports indicated that the Chinese HQ-9 system successfully shot down several advanced French-made Rafale jets used by the Indian Air Force. Before the war, reports suggested that China had agreed to supply Iran with raw materials and other components to manufacture hundreds of ballistic missiles.
