War

China Helps Iran

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Liz Wolfe | 7.31.2026 9:30 AM

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(Iranian Presidency Office/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom/Jim LoScalzo - Pool via CNP)

Hamas disarmament: Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced that the Board of Peace, the entity overseeing the ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, has brokered a deal that will lead Hamas to start disarming.

"For the first time, Hamas officially has committed to an actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, which will be followed by Israeli withdrawal," said the board. This was a major demand of Israel's.

When good news comes on one front, bad news follows on another: "Iran is expected to receive within weeks a first shipment out of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers, three sources familiar with the deal told Reuters, as it rebuilds its defences amid war with the United States," per Reuters. "The purchase, valued at $60-70 million, is one of Tehran's largest-known efforts to strengthen ‌its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the U.S. and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran's ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure. The contract covers the ‌purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, the sources said."

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Chinese leverage appears to matter a bit more, now. "As the Iran war escalates again, Gulf Arab states are looking to........

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