🔺Reuters: Iran receives Chinese shoulder-fired missiles

◾ The Islamic Republic expects to receive the first shipment within the next few weeks from a set of up to 400 shoulder-fired air defense systems made in China.

◾ Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the purchase, worth between $60 million and $70 million, is among the largest known efforts by the Islamic Republic to strengthen short-range air defenses since the start of the war.

◾ Based on this report, a contract has been signed with a company in Hong Kong, which acts as an intermediary between the Iranian side and the Chinese supplier.

◾ China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the report “completely baseless” and said Beijing has always played a role in promoting peace and ending fighting. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.