American intelligence sources have detected signs that China is getting ready to ship new air defense missile systems to Iran in the coming weeks, according to a CNN report published Friday evening that cited three individuals with knowledge of recent intelligence evaluations.
The report indicates that Chinese officials are working to send the weapons shipments through other nations in an effort to hide where the weapons are coming from.
Neither the U.S. State Department, the White House, nor China’s embassy in Washington provided immediate responses when Reuters reached out for comment.
According to CNN’s unnamed sources, China is preparing to send portable anti-aircraft missile systems called MANPADs, which can be fired from the shoulder.
The United States and Iran are scheduled to conduct high-level diplomatic talks on Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital city, as they search for solutions to end their ongoing conflict that has lasted six weeks.
