Iran is expected to receive a first shipment of Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers within weeks, according to three sources cited by Reuters. The contract, valued at $60–70 million, covers between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including QW‑12 and FN‑16 missiles. The deal was signed with the Hong Kong‑based intermediary Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment, the sources said, with deliveries planned from Urumqi in western China and transiting through Pakistan, though the final route has not been confirmed.

China’s foreign ministry stated that the reports are “completely groundless,” adding that Beijing has consistently promoted peace and an end to the conflict. Pakistani military public relations likewise called claims of Pakistani involvement “absolutely concocted and false.” Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The denials follow assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said on 24 July that both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin had personally assured him they would not supply arms to the Islamic Republic.

The reported purchase would represent one of Tehran’s most significant efforts to boost its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the United States and Israel. Military experts note that portable systems such as the QW‑12 and FN‑16 can be rapidly dispersed, operated by small teams, and frequently relocated, making them harder to target than fixed batteries. The sources cautioned that delivery timetables, quantities, and other details could still change, while a European security source said several contracts involving QW‑series MANPADS had been under discussion.

The conflict has exposed gaps in Iran’s ability to protect military and strategic infrastructure from precision strikes by advanced aircraft. Although a ceasefire has theoretically been in place since April, hostilities continued, with Washington suspending a two‑week bombing campaign on Saturday but warning that attacks would resume if negotiations fail. Iran has been seeking to rearm after months of U.S. and Israeli strikes on facilities linked to its missile, drone, and air‑defence programmes, and the delivery of hundreds of MANPADS would significantly expand its inventory while underscoring deepening military ties with China.