Pentagon: Moscow sent base-location data, Beijing considered sending radar systems to Iran

A fewer days aft the outbreak of the struggle with Iran, U.S. quality agencies identified signs that the warfare could grow geopolitically, arsenic Russia and China were reportedly seeking to enactment Tehran successful bid to bounds U.S. and Israeli subject operations.

Analysts from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Pentagon’s subject quality arm, assessed—according to CBS—that Beijing was considering supplying Iran with precocious radar systems. These discussions reportedly took spot alongside quality indicating that Russia had provided Iran with information connected the locations of U.S. subject forces successful the Middle East.

While the transportation of accusation from Moscow to Tehran had already been reported by CBS, China’s alleged volition to assistance Iran—from the aboriginal stages of the struggle and perchance implicit the longer term—suggests a broader, albeit informal, alignment among powers seeking to curb U.S. power successful the region.

U.S. officials said China was considering sending X-band radar systems, which could importantly heighten Iran’s quality to observe and way threats specified arsenic low-flying drones and cruise missiles, arsenic good arsenic support its aerial defence systems from precocious attacks.

It remains unclear whether this instrumentality was yet delivered. However, the appraisal highlights Washington’s interest that the struggle with Iran could gully successful not lone determination adversaries but besides large planetary powers consenting to supply captious enactment without nonstop subject involvement.

The DIA declined to remark connected the reports, portion the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the White House besides refrained from making statements.

FT: Revolutionary Guards utilized Chinese outer for basal attacks

Last week, the Financial Times reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps utilized a reconnaissance outer acquired from the Chinese institution Earth Eye Co. to people U.S. bases successful the Middle East, citing leaked Iranian subject documents.

According to U.S. officials, Tehran has antecedently utilized outer imagery provided by China, including during the existent struggle with Israel and the United States. It has not been confirmed whether those images came specifically from Earth Eye Co.

A Pentagon study connected the Chinese subject published successful December noted that, by 2024, China-based commercialized outer companies had engaged successful concern transactions with the Revolutionary Guards.

According to the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, China has surpassed Russia arsenic the superior rival to the U.S. successful space. Its accelerated improvement of abstraction capabilities allows Beijing to leverage abstraction for overseas argumentation goals, situation U.S. subject and technological superiority, and grow its planetary influence.

U.S. quality agencies besides estimation that Beijing considered sending aerial defence systems to Iran, perchance via 3rd countries to debar nonstop involvement. CNN reported that China was preparing to present portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated, however, that President Donald Trump maintains nonstop connection with Xi Jinping, and that Beijing has assured Washington it volition not proceed with specified actions.

Donald Trump is expected to sojourn China adjacent period for a high-level acme amid aggregate geopolitical crises. He said helium had sent a missive to Xi Jinping asking him not to proviso weapons to Iran, without specifying erstwhile the speech took place.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy successful Washington stated that China’s stance toward Iran is “transparent,” emphasizing that Beijing seeks to beforehand bid talks and does not prosecute successful actions that could escalate conflicts.