The first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles is expected to reach Iran within weeks, according to a Reuters report. The $60–70 million contract covers QW-12 and FN-16 systems and will be delivered via air from Urumqi through Pakistan, the report states.
The most detailed picture of the China-Iran arms deal yet emerged on Wednesday, with Reuters reporting that the first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made MANPADS — QW-12 and FN-16 models — is expected to reach Iran within weeks. The $60–70 million contract was signed through Hong Kong-based Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment, with deliveries routed by air from Urumqi, China, through Pakistan. The report contradicts President Trump's earlier assertion that Beijing had agreed to halt arms sales to Tehran.
The Zioneer's coverage of the developing story, beginning at 06:52 Jerusalem, tracked the thread from its first report of hundreds of missiles to increasingly specific details. The initial Reuters dispatch, reported by The Zioneer at 06:52 Jerusalem, stated that Iran expected to receive a first shipment of hundreds of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles within weeks, with Tehran and Beijing examining overland routes to avoid interception. Over the course of the morning, The Zioneer published successive updates specifying the number of launchers as 300–400, then identifying the models as QW-12 and FN-16, valued at $60–70 million. Both Beijing and Islamabad have denied the report, according to Reuters.
The arms acquisition comes as Iran seeks to rebuild its air defense capabilities, which were severely degraded during the war with Israel and the United States. As The Zioneer reported on June 10, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on 13 individuals and entities based in Iran, Belarus, and China, including Hong Kong, for attempting to acquire weapons, including MANPADS, on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The broader context includes Iran's efforts to modernize its military, including the reported exploration of acquiring Chinese J-10 fighter jets, as The Zioneer reported on June 21.
The reported timeline and route remain unconfirmed by independent sources, and the denials from Beijing and Islamabad have not been elaborated. The Reuters dispatch, while providing the most detailed account to date, sources its information to unnamed security officials.
7 developments
- DevelopingUS signs $439.4 million contract for ATACMS missiles for Taiwan
- DevelopingIranian channels claim MoshM distributed light anti-aircraft systems to Basij operatives
- DevelopingIran explores acquiring Chinese J-10 fighters to modernize aging air force
- DevelopingReport: 1,000 missiles aimed at Iran
Source and signal
- Open-source intake