According to sources acquainted with the situation, two Iranian ships that were docked in China were filled with a crucial component for making ballistic missile propellant.
This shows how difficult it will be for the Trump administration to pressure China to cut back on its collaboration with Iran.
The two ships are carrying approximately 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a substance that Iran might convert into 960 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a primary component for manufacturing solid propellant for ballistic missiles, according to sources.
A Western official stated that this could enough to manufacture 260 intermediate Iranian missiles.
Tehran’s increasing dependence on Beijing is partially attributable to Israel’s recent assaults on Iran’s missile program and militant network, although it also signifies a broader dilemma for Washington.
Iran and China have increasingly linked themselves with Russia and North Korea, forming a coalition of authoritarian states unified in their objective to subvert the U.S.-led global system.
No information exists indicating that Chinese authorities were aware of the deliveries.
A representative from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., stated he was unaware of the intended shipments but emphasized that China rigorously regulates dual-use equipment in compliance with its export-control legislation and international commitments.
The Financial Times previously reported on the scheduled delivery of the missile propellant.
According to U.S. estimates, Iran possesses one of the most formidable ballistic missile arsenals in the Middle East, exceeding 3,000 ballistic missiles in 2023.
However, its supplies have diminished since it conducted two missile strikes on Israel last year and supplied missiles to Russia.
In October, Israel’s retaliatory attacks weakened Iran’s missile production capabilities.
The assaults obliterated the majority of Iran’s planetary mixers, apparatus utilized for amalgamating components for solid propellant, which are not easily substitutable. Solid propellant comprises a combination of fuel and oxidizer that combust simultaneously to produce thrust in missiles and rockets.
U.S. and Israeli sources claimed subsequent to the strike that Iran’s manufacturing of solid-propellant missiles may be delayed by a year or longer.
U.S. officials have since reaffirmed that evaluation, indicating that Iran may encounter difficulties in promptly utilizing the supplies upon their delivery.
According to Fabian Hinz, a research fellow for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, China has been supplying solid propellant for Iranian rockets and missiles since the 1990s.
The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on Iranian officials and corporations in recent years for acquiring solid-propellant components, such as nitrile butadiene rubber, from China.
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