China is preparing to provide a new air defence delivery system to Iran in the coming weeks, CNN reported on Friday, citing US intelligence sources.
According to the report, Beijing is set to transfer shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems, known as MANPADS, which could pose an asymmetric threat to low-flying US military aircraft. The report also indicated that China may route the shipments through third countries to mask their origin.
The move, if confirmed, would be seen as provocative, particularly with US President Donald Trump scheduled to visit Beijing next month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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The US State Department has not responded to the report, which comes a day before high-stakes peace talks between Washington and Tehran are set to begin in Islamabad on Saturday.
China, however, rejected the intelligence claims, asserting that it has not provided weapons to any party in the conflict.
“As a responsible major country, China consistently fulfills its international obligations. We urge the U.S. side to refrain from making baseless allegations, maliciously drawing connections, and engaging in sensationalism; we hope that relevant parties will do more to help de-escalate tensions,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told CNN.
Pakistan is hosting the high-level dialogue between US and Iranian officials aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict, which has already disrupted global markets, driven oil prices to new highs, and fueled inflation in several countries.
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has already arrived in Pakistan, while the U.S. team, headed by Vice President J.D. Vance, is expected shortly.
The ceasefire brokered by Pakistan continues to face challenges. Clashes have occurred between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants along the southern Lebanon border, and Iran has set conditions that must be met before formal negotiations can begin.
