Is China Helping Iran Take On The US Air Force?

July 29, 2026 4:26 PM ET As Iran picks up the pieces of its air defenses after an endless wave of U.S. strikes, a new report claims China is helping Tehran re-arm.Chinese firms will allegedly be providing Iran with up to 400 man-portable air defense systems, Reuters reported, citing three anonymous sources familiar with the deal. The Iranian military has historically preferred indigenous military production; this new deal may be a key example of how the Iran War has driven the Iranians more firmly into the arms of Beijing, according to the United States Institute of Peace.The Iran War has devolved into a game of cat-and-mouse, with numerous ceasefires that consistently devolve into hostilities. The Iranian military launched an attack at a U.S. airbase in Jordan on Tuesday, Axios reported.