US intelligence officials have detected signs that China is preparing to deliver advanced air defense systems to Iran threatening a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
According to a CNN report, Beijing is planning to send shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles known as MANPADS within the next few weeks.
Sources claim China is attempting to “route the shipments through third countries to conceal their true origin” allowing the Iranian military to secretly rebuild its defenses.
The timing is critical as a two-week ceasefire is currently in place following five weeks of direct military conflict.
Intelligence suggests Tehran is using this pause to restock its arsenal.
While China recently claimed credit for helping broker the peace, this secret military support would mark a major escalation.
China has dismissed the report as complete fiction. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington stated, “China has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict; the information in question is untrue.”
The embassy further urged the US to “refrain from making baseless allegations maliciously drawing connections and engaging in sensationalism.”
Despite these denials, the White House is closely monitoring the situation ahead of President Trump’s scheduled visit to Beijing next month.
