Iran aims to bolster military power with Chinese missile parts
According to sources reported by The Wall Street Journal, Iran has acquired large quantities of ballistic missile materials from China, reportedly in an effort to strengthen its military capabilities.
Shippments to arrive shortly
The purchased ammonium perchlorate, a compound used in explosives and rockets, is set to be employed to fuel hundreds of missiles. Shipments of the compound are expected to arrive in the coming months as Tehran continues to bolster its military capabilities.
In recent months, the Iranian firm Pishgaman Tejarat Rafi Novin Co. placed an order for missile components from Hong Kong-based Lion Commodities Holdings Ltd., according to sources familiar with the transaction, WSJ reports.
The Chinese government claims ignorance regarding the deal. "The Chinese side has always exercised strict control over dual-use items in accordance with China’s export control laws and regulations and its international obligations," the spokesperson conveyed
The WSJ raises concern that the newly produced weapons would likely be used to aid rebel militias tied to the Iranian government, such as the Houthis operating in Yemen.
In the wake of Israel’s heavy attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, along with the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, Iran has been seeking to reestablish its so-called Axis of Resistance militia network. Although U.S. and Israeli strikes have weakened the Houthis, the group continues to pose a threat to Israel.
Nuclear tensions rise
The purchase coincides with advancing Iran-US talks about the Iranian nuclear program. Tehran has been continuously accumulating its uranium supply, which is said to be enriched "just below weapons grade," raising international concern. Simultaneously, the Iranian government refused to negotiate limits on its missile program.
Donald Trump recently discussed the nuclear program negotiations with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. "Time is running out on Iran’s decision pertaining to nuclear weapons," he wrote on TruthSocial.
