An American F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran last month was likely hit by a Chinese-made shoulder-fired missile, three sources involved in the matter told NBC News on Saturday. The downing led to a dramatic and unusual multi-day rescue operation to extract the pilot and navigator.
A senior U.S. official revealed that China supplied Iran with a long-range early warning radar system capable of detecting even stealth aircraft in the opening days of the war. Iran’s use of Chinese weapons significantly complicates the sensitive relationship between Washington and Beijing, raising difficult questions.
The White House referred NBC to an interview in which President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping promised him that China would not supply military equipment to Iran. Trump emphasized that he believes and respects this promise, despite the contradictory reports about weapons supplies.