The US F-15E Strike Eagle that was shot down over southwest Iran last month was likely hit by a Chinese-made shoulder-fired missile, according to NBC, citing sources.US officials are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the downing of the plane in April, which was the first time in decades that a US fighter jet had been shot down by hostile fire.At the time, President Donald Trump said the plane was hit by a shoulder-fired missile. The weapons, known as man-portable air defense systems, are about seven feet long, weigh about 40 pounds, and are widely used to target low-flying aircraft.The two crew members from the F-15 were safely ejected over Iran. According to the Pentagon, the pilot was rescued within seven hours, while the weapons systems officer was located and rescued two days later after hiding in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains.
Officials said it was unclear whether the missile believed to have shot down the F-15 was recently delivered or came from old Iranian stockpiles.In response to questions about the F-15 incident, a Chinese embassy spokesperson said: “China always acts wisely and responsibly regarding the export of military products, and exercises strict control in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations on export control and due international obligations.”
China opposes baseless defamation and associations with bad intentions.In the early days of the conflict, China may have equipped Iran with a long-range early warning radar capable of detecting stealth aircraft designed to evade detection, according to one source and a US official familiar with the matter. It remains unclear whether the radar system, known as YLC-8B, was deployed during the war.The Trump administration also accused China of supporting Iran through satellite services.
Earlier this month, the State Department imposed sanctions on three Chinese satellite companies, claiming they provided images and data that helped Iran target US forces in the Middle East. China denied these accusations.Despite these concerns, a US official familiar with the discussions told NBC News that any Chinese assistance would have little impact on the battlefield.“There was not much support,” the official said. “There was no decisive operational impact for him.”Iran’s use of Chinese-made military equipment has added a new dimension to US-China relations at a time when officials from the US and Iran seek to end the conflict. Negotiations are still ongoing even as the United States continues what it describes as “defensive” strikes.The Trump administration brokered a ceasefire with Iran ahead of an important meeting with President Xi Jinping earlier this month. China, the main buyer of Iranian oil exports, has repeatedly called for an end to the war.“We are not immune to global oil prices at some point, because we buy from the global market, but other countries around the world pay a much higher price,” the Foreign Minister said.
Marco Rubio
He said during a trip to China. “They have to be involved in this too.”However, Rubio rejected the suggestion that Washington was counting on Beijing’s help, saying: “We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help.”China supplied Iran with large amounts of military equipment during the 1980s and 1990s, including ballistic missiles, anti-ship missiles, tanks, artillery, and fighter aircraft.After a
United Nations
After imposing an arms embargo on Iran in 2006, China reduced major arms sales and instead supplied components and technologies with civilian and military applications, according to experts and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Iran subsequently expanded its domestic arms production industry.Experts say that China has continued to provide economic support to Iran despite US sanctions. Beijing has also helped Iran strengthen its domestic surveillance systems and support its military through technology transfers and other dual-use items, said Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.