2 Cargo Ships Allegedly Carrying Missile Prospective Materials Sailing From China To Iran

JAKARTA - Two Iranian cargo ships carrying missile propellant materials will sail from China to Iran in the next few weeks.

The Financial Times (FT) reported the information citing intelligence from security officials in two Western countries.

Reuters told FT, Wednesday, January 22, that Iranian, Golbon and Jairan-flagged vessels are expected to carry more than 1,000 tonnes of sodium perclorat, which is used to make brokered amonium, the main propellant material is solid for missiles.

Missile propellants are fuels used to launch missiles. The propellant is also known as a driving force or powder.

Amonia perklorate is one of the chemicals controlled by the Missile Technology Export Control Regime, an international anti-proliferation voluntary body.

Two officials said sodium perclorat could produce 960 tonnes of amonium perclorat, enough to make 1,300 tonnes of propellants, which could fuel Iran's 260 medium-range missiles.

The FT quoted officials as saying sodium perclorat was being sent to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and that 34 20-foot (six-meter) containers containing the chemicals had been loaded to Golbon, which departed from Daishan Island in China.

Jairan is expected to leave China with 22 containers in early February. Officials told the FT that the two ships, owned by Iranian entities, are expected to make a three-week voyage to Iran without making any port visits.

Officials said the chemicals were loaded into Golbon in Taicang, a port north of Shanghai, and aimed at Bandar Abbas in southern Iran in the Persian Gulf.

The report said data from Marine Traffic ship trackers showed Golbon spent at least a few days outside Daishan Island before departing on Tuesday.

The FT said officials could not say whether Beijing knew the shipment.

In 2023, the United States imposed sanctions on individuals and entities in China, Hong Kong, and Iran, including Iran's defense attach in Beijing, on charges that it was helping procure spare parts and technology for key actors in Iran's ballistic missile development.

Last July, the US imposed sanctions on five individuals and seven Iranian, Chinese and Hong Kong-based entities accused of being the facilitators of Iran's missile and drone programs.