By Li Deyan, Vision Times
A new report circulating online alleges that Chinese radar research institutes secretly provided technical support to Iran’s air defense network, and that three Chinese technicians working in the country were killed in an explosion.
The claims surfaced on March 16, when Canadian-based Chinese democracy activist Sheng Xue published a conversation on the social media platform X with a source in Beijing. According to the source, three employees from China Electronics Technology Group Corporation’s (CETC) 14th Research Institute, a leading radar development center in China, died while performing technical maintenance on radar systems exported to Iran.
RELATED: China’s Air Defense Failures Could Spell Trouble for Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing
The technicians were reportedly responsible for maintaining radar equipment designed to detect advanced stealth aircraft such as the F-35. The source said the identities of the victims and the length of their deployment in Iran remain classified, but revealed that two of them were in their 40s and one in his 50s.
Technical support
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
The same source claimed that roughly 30 Chinese technical personnel are currently stationed in Iran providing ongoing support for radar systems supplied by Beijing. “It (the CCP) has always provided technical support. Currently there are about 30 technicians in Iran,” the source said. In addition to the 14th Research Institute, personnel from CETC’s 38th Research Institute and 22nd Research Institute were also said to be operating in Iran.
The 14th Research Institute, located in Nanjing, is widely regarded as one of China’s most advanced radar research centers, particularly known for developing long-range radar systems. It has played key roles in major Chinese state projects, including space programs, national defense initiatives, and high-profile government engineering projects.
The 38th Research Institute, based in Hefei, was originally established in 1965 and now employs more than 3,000 staff members with an average age of 34. Chinese state media often describes the institute as a backbone organization for China’s high-technology defense electronics sector, integrating research, manufacturing, and testing capabilities.
Meanwhile, the 22nd Research Institute, headquartered in Xinxiang, Henan Province, focuses on studying electromagnetic environments and radio wave propagation. It operates extensive monitoring networks across China and participates in international scientific cooperation through organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R). The institute’s research spans multiple fields including radar, communications, and aerospace technology.
If the reports are accurate, they suggest Beijing deployed specialists from several of its most sophisticated radar laboratories to assist Iran’s air defense infrastructure.
Some online commentators say such cooperation has long been suspected. “China Electronics Import and Export Corporation has also been an institution assisting Iran and Iraq,” one commenter wrote. “A classmate of mine worked there and also participated in such support. With U.S. and Israeli air forces having air superiority over Iran, I’m not surprised.”
Chinese radars under scrutiny
Iran’s air defense network reportedly incorporates a mix of Russian, Chinese, and domestic systems. According to The Economist, the network includes Chinese-made HQ-9B surface-to-air missiles, JY-26 long-range radar, Russia’s S-300 system, and locally produced equipment.
In a March 2026 interview with NBC News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Iran maintains military cooperation with both China and Russia. “Russia and China are our strategic partners. We have always had close cooperation in the past and it continues today, including military cooperation,” Araghchi said.
Though he did not specify the exact nature of the assistance, reports suggest that China supplied Iran with additional air defense equipment following the June 2025 ceasefire between Iran and Israel. According to the British outlet Middle East Eye, the delivery included HQ-9B long-range air defense missiles and associated radar systems. Some analysts believe the transaction may have been structured as an oil-for-weapons exchange to circumvent sanctions.
Iran publicly displayed several Chinese radar systems in November 2025, including the JY-26 “anti-stealth” radar and the JY-10 air defense command system, both advertised by Chinese manufacturers as capable of detecting stealth aircraft and resisting electronic interference.
A faulty system
However, the real-world performance of these systems has drawn criticism. Reports indicate that during a large-scale U.S.–Israeli air campaign against Iran in February 2026, reportedly code-named “Epic Fury,” Iran’s air defenses were rapidly overwhelmed. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials were reportedly killed during the first day of the strikes.
Taiwanese political commentator Zhan Lingyu later described Iran’s air defense network as a patchwork system combining Russian, Chinese, and domestic technologies. “Such a system might function during routine exercises,” Zhan wrote, “but once it encounters the complex electronic warfare environment of the U.S. military, system integration quickly collapses.”
Another example cited by analysts involves Venezuela, where the Maduro government reportedly purchased nine Chinese JY-27 anti-stealth radar systems to build what was described as South America’s strongest air defense network. Yet when U.S. special forces raided Caracas on January 3, 2026, capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the radars reportedly failed to detect any American aircraft.
Similarly, Taiwanese analyst Zhang Yumeng argued that Chinese radar systems struggled against advanced electronic warfare tactics. According to Zhang, U.S. forces suppressed Iran’s JY-26 long-range radar through electronic warfare during airstrikes, disabling Iran’s command centers and leaving the radar network unable to respond.
When U.S. stealth fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II approached Iranian airspace, Zhang said the Chinese-made radar systems reportedly remained silent throughout the operation. He concluded that the incident highlighted a critical vulnerability in Chinese military technology when facing high-level electronic warfare environments.
Editorial note: This article is based on publicly circulating reports and commentary from independent analysts. The claims described have not been independently verified by Vision Times, and relevant authorities have not publicly confirmed the allegations.
