Anadolu staff
12 April 2026•Update: 12 April 2026
US intelligence agencies believe China may be increasing its involvement in the Iran war by potentially supplying military-related materials, according to a report published Saturday by The New York Times, citing American officials.
The report said US officials have obtained intelligence indicating that China may have recently shipped shoulder-fired missiles, known as MANPADS, to Iran, although they stressed the information is not definitive and there is no evidence the weapons have been used in the war.
American intelligence assessments also suggest Beijing is allowing certain companies to provide Iran with dual-use materials such as chemicals, fuel and components that could support military production.
The possibility of the shipments has raised concerns in Washington, as it could signal a shift in China’s traditionally cautious approach to directly supplying military equipment to Tehran.
The report noted that internal discussions within China about sending weapons reflect a growing perception in Beijing that it has a stake in the outcome of the conflict involving the US and Israel.
Separately, US intelligence has observed that Russia has provided Iran with satellite intelligence to support targeting efforts, although Moscow is believed to have avoided supplying direct military hardware to prevent escalation with Washington.
China publicly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington denied that Beijing had sent weapons to Iran, calling the claims “untrue” and urging the US to avoid “baseless accusations.”
Meanwhile, on reports that Beijing is preparing to ship weapons to Iran, Trump warned Saturday that if it attempted to do so, "China is going to have big problems."
The developments come ahead of a planned summit next month between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which had been delayed due to the war in Iran.
