Iran to Receive Chinese Shoulder-Launched Missiles Within Weeks, Sources Say

Iran is set to receive Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems within weeks, according to sources cited by The Japan Times, which valued the purchase at 60 to 70 million dollars and called it one of Tehran's largest known efforts to strengthen its air defenses since the outbreak of the war with the United States and Israel. The portable systems are designed to counter aircraft and drones at short range.

The reported sale points to China's growing role as a supplier to states under Western pressure, extending a parallel network of arms and trade that runs outside American-led channels. It comes as Iran seeks to replace air-defense capacity degraded by American and Israeli strikes.

At the same time, direct United States-China military contact has warmed. The South China Morning Post reported that a senior Pentagon official said military communication between the two powers was stronger than it has been in years, describing it as a rare positive point in an otherwise competitive relationship. The two developments are difficult to reconcile, with Beijing managing its relationship with Washington while arming a party to the war Washington is fighting.