Weeks after his country was battered by waves of Israeli strikes and the US bombed three of its prized nuclear facilities, Iran’s foreign minister came to a gathering of regional diplomats in China this week with a simple ask.

"Strengthening air defense capabilities is clearly an urgent priority for Iran at the moment," expert Hongda Fan told Newsweek.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that China can continue to purchase Iranian oil after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, a move that the White House clarified did not indicate a relaxation of U.

About half of Israeli respondents identified Iran as the greatest threat to their country, while 17% said Hamas, according to a Pew Research Center survey published in July 2025, which offered a comparative look at global threat perceptions.

Iran and Russia have a security agreement although Moscow did not come to Tehran's help when it was under attack by Israel and the United States

The Agricultural Research Service lost dozens of researchers after the USDA terminated contracts with nationals from four countries of concern.

A report that appeared in Iranian state media IRNA took a swipe at China, saying its “non-interventionist policy” is suitable for a developing country but not for one aspiring a world leadership role

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran is fully vigilant and prepared to defend itself should the Israeli regime break a “fragile” ceasefire that ended 12 days of aggression against the country last month.