Iran rapidly rebuilds air defenses with Chinese missiles after Israel conflict
By isabelle // 2025-07-09
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  • Iran has obtained advanced Chinese surface-to-air missile systems in exchange for oil, reinforcing its air defenses after Israeli strikes.
  • The deal highlights China’s deepening military and economic ties with Iran despite U.S. sanctions.
  • Iran’s rapid rearmament raises concerns among U.S. allies, with Israel warning of future military action against Tehran.
  • The new Chinese missiles may improve Iran’s air defenses but still lag behind advanced stealth aircraft like Israel’s F-35s.
  • Regional tensions remain high as both Iran and Israel prepare for potential renewed conflict.
Iran has acquired advanced Chinese surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries in a bid to rebuild its shattered air defenses, paying for them with oil shipments in a deal that underscores Beijing’s deepening alliance with Tehran. The deliveries began shortly after a June 24 ceasefire ended a 12-day conflict with Israel, during which Israeli airstrikes decimated key Iranian air defense installations. According to intelligence sources, the White House and U.S. Arab allies were informed of Iran’s rapid military rebuilding efforts, raising concerns over Tehran’s growing defensive capabilities and its ability to circumvent U.S. sanctions through opaque trade agreements with China.

Rebuilding after Israeli strikes

The recent conflict saw Israel achieve air superiority over Iran, destroying ballistic missile launch sites and assassinating high-ranking Iranian military officials. Despite these setbacks, Iran managed to retaliate with missile strikes on Israeli cities, inflicting significant damage before the ceasefire took hold. Now, Tehran is moving swiftly to restore its defenses, turning to China, its largest oil customer, for military support. Sources indicate that Iran is trading crude oil for Chinese HHQ-9B surface-to-air missile systems, although the exact number of batteries delivered remains undisclosed. One Arab official familiar with the intelligence described the arrangement as part of Iran’s "creative ways of trading," a reference to Tehran’s long history of evading sanctions through third-party transactions. China, which already imports nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, has been a reliable economic lifeline for the Islamic Republic despite U.S. sanctions. Shipments are often rerouted through countries like Malaysia to obscure their origin, allowing Beijing to maintain its energy supply while keeping diplomatic tensions at bay.

A deepening Beijing-Tehran alliance

The missile deliveries highlight the strengthening military partnership between China and Iran, even as Western analysts noted Beijing’s relative distance during the height of the Israel-Iran conflict. This latest arms transfer follows a pattern of Chinese military support dating back decades, including the 1980s when Iran acquired HY-2 Silkworm missiles via North Korea during the Iran-Iraq War. Iran’s existing air defense network includes Russian S-300 systems, older Chinese models, and domestically produced batteries like the Khordad and Bavar-373. While these systems have proven effective against drones, their ability to counter advanced stealth aircraft like Israel’s U.S.-made F-35s remains limited. The new Chinese SAMs could help close that gap, but experts caution that Iran’s air defenses still face significant technological disadvantages.

Regional tensions remain high

The timing of these deliveries has raised alarms among U.S. allies and Israeli officials, who fear that Iran’s rapid rearmament could embolden further aggression. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz recently announced plans for a military strategy aimed at countering Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, warning that the recent conflict was merely a "preview" of future operations. Meanwhile, Iran has vowed a "severe response" to any Israeli violations of the ceasefire, setting the stage for potential renewed hostilities. With both sides rearming and reassessing their strategies, the fragile truce could collapse at any moment. Iran’s acquisition of Chinese air defense missiles underscores the resilience of its military-industrial complex and its ability to leverage economic partnerships to bypass Western sanctions. As Tehran rebuilds its defenses, the Trump administration faces mounting pressure to address the growing Beijing-Tehran axis—one that threatens to destabilize the Middle East further. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net TheCradle.co IsraelNationalNews.com
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