Iran acquires Chinese missile systems to rebuild air defences after Israel conflict

Iran has taken delivery of Chinese surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries as part of a rapid effort to restore its air defense capabilities following the recent 12-day conflict with Israel.

The deliveries reportedly began shortly after a de facto truce was reached between Iran and Israel on June 24. One Arab official with knowledge of the intelligence confirmed to Middle East Eye that the systems were intended to "back up and reinforce" Iran's defences, which had been significantly damaged during Israeli strikes, Caliber.Az reports. 

According to the sources, Iran is compensating China for the missile systems through oil shipments, a form of barter trade that has become increasingly common as Tehran continues to circumvent US sanctions. China is currently the largest purchaser of Iranian oil, receiving nearly 90 percent of the country’s crude and condensate exports, according to a May report by the US Energy Information Administration.

While the exact number and type of missile systems delivered were not disclosed, the transfer marks a significant deepening of military cooperation between Beijing and Tehran. The move comes amid perceptions in the West that both China and Russia maintained a cautious distance during Israel’s unprecedented military operations against Iran in June.

During the brief but intense conflict, Israel was able to assert air superiority, targeting Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure and reportedly killing several senior Iranian military officials and scientists. Nevertheless, Iran continued to launch retaliatory missile strikes, damaging key sites in Tel Aviv and Haifa before the ceasefire took effect.

Iran’s air defence network is composed of both foreign and domestically produced systems, including the Russian-made S-300 and older Chinese models, as well as indigenous platforms like the Bavar-373 and Khordad series. Analysts believe these systems offer limited capabilities against advanced stealth aircraft such as the US-built F-35, which is operated by Israel.

This is not the first time Iran has procured Chinese weaponry. During the Iran-Iraq War in the late 1980s, it acquired HY-2 Silkworm cruise missiles from China via North Korea, which were later used to attack ships in the Persian Gulf. In 2010, reports emerged suggesting Iran had also received HQ-9 anti-aircraft systems from Beijing.

China currently exports its HQ-9 and HQ-16 air defence systems to several regional partners, including Pakistan and reportedly Egypt. The addition of Chinese systems to Iran’s arsenal further cements Tehran’s pivot towards Beijing amid mounting geopolitical pressures.

By Sabina Mammadli