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American intelligence agencies have obtained information that China in recent weeks may have sent a shipment of shoulder-fired missiles to Iran for its conflict with the United States and Israel, according to U.S. officials.<\/p>\n
The officials said that the intelligence is not definitive that the shipment has been sent, and that there is no evidence that the Chinese missiles have yet been used against American or Israeli forces during the conflict.<\/p>\n
But even a debate in Beijing over sending missiles to Iran suggests the degree that China sees itself as having a stake in the conflict. Intelligence agencies have assessed that China is secretly taking an active stance in the war, allowing some companies to ship chemicals, fuel and components that can be used in military production to Iran for the war.<\/p>\n
Shoulder fired missiles, known as MANPADS, are capable of shooting down low-flying aircraft.<\/p>\n
China has long been reluctant to send finished military equipment to Iran, but some officials in the government want Beijing to allow its companies to directly supply the Iranian security forces during the conflict with the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
If the Chinese government did allow the shipment of missiles, it would be a significant escalation and an indication that at least some of China\u2019s leaders are working actively to bring about an American military defeat in a war that has engulfed the Middle East.<\/p>\n
The intelligence about possible Chinese support to Iran comes as American intelligence agencies have seen evidence that Russia has provided<\/a> the Iranian military with specific satellite intelligence to help Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps target American ships, along with military and diplomatic installations throughout the Middle East.<\/p>\n Taken together, the military support to Iran shows how America\u2019s powerful adversaries have seen an opportunity to raise the costs for the United States for launching the war and to potentially bog down the American military in the conflict.<\/p>\n Chinese support to Iran comes at a delicate moment in US-China relations. President Trump is planning next month to travel to China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a summit that is expected to focus on a range of trade, technology and military issues. The summit was originally scheduled for March, but was delayed because of the Iran war.<\/p>\n American intelligence agencies have been carefully tracking what support Russia and China have provided to Iran during the war. American officials have seen Russia as more eager to help, sending food aid, nonlethal military supplies and satellite imagery to Tehran. But Moscow appears to have ruled out providing any offensive or defensive military equipment, for fear of provoking the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Chinese officials overall have been eager to protect, at least publicly, their image as a neutral party. Former officials say that Iran is reliant on China for parts that go into its missiles and drones, but Beijing is able to argue that those components, however crucial, can be used to manufacture more than just weaponry. China also provided some intelligence and supplied dual-use parts to Iran, much as they provided to Russia during its war with Ukraine.<\/p>\n