Iran is reportedly using a pause in hostilities with the United States to restock its air defenses. According to Reuters, Tehran expects its first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired missiles within weeks.
The deal, valued at $60-70 million, covers QW-12 and FN-16 MANPADS (man-portable air-defense systems) and was brokered through Hong Kong-based Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. China's Foreign Ministry called the reports "completely groundless."
The shipment follows months of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites. The missiles would reportedly route from Urumqi through Pakistan, but Islamabad's military dismissed that as "absolutely concocted and false."
The pause in fighting coincides with diplomatic movement. Iran and Oman have reportedly worked out a new shipping arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz, and President Donald Trump has described talks on ending the broader conflict as "very friendly."
This isn't the first arms deal between China and Iran. The MANPADS purchase follows Iran's February push to acquire China's CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, capable of striking targets up to 290 kilometers away. The five-month war began immediately after that.
Beijing's deepening arms ties with Tehran come as the Middle East conflict has strained their broader energy and infrastructure partnership. Iran is reportedly accepting Chinese yuan for oil payments, signaling a further economic tilt toward Beijing.
For China, Iran has long been a counterbalance to U.S. influence over Gulf oil supplies. Continued military support reflects a strategic partnership that goes well beyond this missile deal.
