Iranian Ship Departs China for Iran with Suspected Missile Propellant Cargo

 A second Iranian cargo ship, named in Western media reports as part of an alleged scheme to import a missile propellant ingredient from China, is en route to Iran with a significant cargo load, according to an exclusive analysis by Voice of America (VOA).

Ship-tracking websites confirm that the Iranian-flagged vessel, Jairan, departed from China on Monday—about a month later than the expected departure date cited in reports from The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN. These reports, citing unnamed Western intelligence sources, identified the Jairan and another Iranian vessel, Golbon, as part of Tehran’s efforts to import 1,000 metric tons of sodium perchlorate from China. This chemical could potentially be converted into ammonium perchlorate, a key component in solid-fuel missiles, enough to produce 260 midrange Iranian missiles.

The Golbon completed its journey from China to Iran’s Bandar Abbas port on February 13, after making a two-day stop at Zhuhai Gaolan port in southern China. The cargo it delivered remains unknown, according to MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking website.

Both the Golbon and Jairan are sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department as vessels operated by the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which has been accused of being the preferred shipping network for Iranian missile procurement.

Jairan’s Suspicious Route and Cargo Load

The Jairan was docked at Liuheng Island in eastern China from late last year through February, its transponder data showed. A joint review of its Automatic Identification System (AIS) data by VOA and intelligence analyst Martin Kelly of EOS Risk Group found no significant change in its draught level—the depth of the ship in water—until it left for Zhuhai Gaolan on March 3.

Upon departing Zhuhai Gaolan on March 10, bound for Bandar Abbas, the Jairan reported a substantial draught increase of over two meters, indicating it had taken on a major cargo load. As of Friday, the ship was navigating Indonesian waters near the Riau Archipelago, heading toward the Singapore Strait.

U.S. and International Reactions

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the Jairan’s departure when contacted by VOA. However, it had previously stated that it remains focused on preventing the proliferation of materials that could enhance Iran’s missile capabilities and would continue holding Iran accountable through sanctions.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejected the allegations in a January 23 briefing, asserting that China adheres to its own export controls and international obligations while opposing what it considers illegal unilateral sanctions by other nations.

Meanwhile, eight Republican U.S. senators, led by Jim Risch and Pete Ricketts, urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a February 4 letter to take action in intercepting these shipments if the intelligence reports proved accurate. There is no indication that the Golbon faced any interception on its recent journey to Iran.

Gregory Brew, a senior Iran analyst at Eurasia Group, suggested that Iran may have delayed the Jairan’s departure to observe whether the Golbon could complete its trip without being intercepted. Given that Iran’s missile industry is under U.S. sanctions, Tehran is likely cautious about potential disruptions.

So far, Chinese state media and social media platforms have made no reference to the Jairan, according to a review conducted by VOA’s Mandarin Service.