Intelligence reports and recently disclosed information suggest that a U.S. F-15E fighter jet may have been shot down over Iranian territory last April, likely by a Chinese-made portable air defense system. The incident, which saw a two-seat American fighter jet downed,
occurred on April 3rd in southwestern Iran, with the U.S. military successfully rescuing both pilots. The circulating information indicates that the missile targeting the fighter jet originated from a Chinese-made air defense system. Nevertheless, U.S. authorities are still investigating the
circumstances of the incident to determine its precise details. For its part, the Chinese Foreign Ministry vehemently denied claims of a Chinese-made portable air defense system being used to shoot down the American fighter jet, branding them as "false accusations." China's
official news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun as saying, "China has always adopted a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, exercising strict control in accordance with its laws, regulations, and international obligations. We strongly reject these baseless
slanders and malicious accusations." It is worth noting that in mid-April, then-U.S. President Donald Trump had requested from his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, that China refrain from supplying arms to Iran, receiving assurances to that effect. A senior U.S. official later
confirmed that Washington had received similar reassurances from Beijing regarding its plans not to provide weapons to Tehran.
