TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - China has sent additional weapons to Iran amid the intensifying conflict with Israel and the U.S. The weapon shipments were leaked by three officials familiar with the matter, as reported by Middle East Eye.
The weapons sent also include cruise missiles, or Kamikaze drones, to the Islamic Republic of Iran. In addition, China provided offensive weapons and air defense systems.
In September, Chinese-made Kamikaze drones appeared on the battlefield in Sudan. In July, China had supplied surface-to-air missile batteries to Iran after a 12-day conflict culminating in the U.S. attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Two Arab sources and a regional intelligence official familiar with the matter stated that China has been continually supplying air defense assets to Iran since the summer. The regional intelligence official mentioned that the Chinese systems possessed by Iran are the HQ-16 and HQ-17AE.
Providing attack drones could also be a way for Beijing to provide offensive support to Iran while considering the sale of more sophisticated missiles.
This week, it's reported that China is in discussions with Iran to provide anti-ship cruise missiles CM-302. The CM-302 can be launched from both ships and land with a range of about 290 kilometers. This weapon can target U.S. ships in the Arabian Sea, as well as those closer to the Iranian coastline in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
Regional intelligence sources stated that both countries are also discussing the purchase of the Chinese-made hypersonic cruise missile DF-17 by Iran. Although Iran's ballistic missiles have a similar range, the DF-17's superior maneuvering capabilities allow it to evade air defense systems more effectively.
Iran is also said to have paid China for the air defense systems in oil shipments. It is unclear how Iran paid for the cruise missiles. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, in a report in May, stated that 90 percent of Iran's crude oil and condensate exports flow to Beijing.
U.S. and Arab officials, both current and retired, stated that Beijing may be reluctant to become too involved in any conflict. This is because China is trying to manage its relationship with the U.S. amid trade tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend a high-level summit in China with President Xi Jinping at the end of March and early April. The two largest economies in the world reached a truce after imposing mutual tariffs last year.
Japan Times reported that in the late 1980s, Iran received HY-2 Silkworm cruise missiles from China through North Korea while at war with Iraq. Iran used these missiles to attack Kuwait and hit U.S.-flagged oil tankers during what was called the tanker war.
In 2010, there were reports that Iran received HQ-9 anti-aircraft missiles from China. The arms shipments to Iran were restricted due to the UN arms embargo in 2006. The embargo was reinstated under the so-called Snap-Back sanctions in September 2015.
China has denied sending weapons to Iran. However, China has urged Israel and the United States to halt attacks on Iran.
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