China · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
China Shipped 1,300 Dual-Use Components To Iran’s Defense Ministry, Wall Street Journal Says
Approximately 1,300 air shipments of dual-use drone and missile components reached Iran’s Defense Ministry through June 2026. Shipped items include GPS devices, motors, electronics for drones and missiles, and other dual-use parts.
10 outlets told this the same way.
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1,300 Shipments, Dual-Use
The Wall Street Journal reported that China shipped around 1,300 shipments to Iran’s defense ministry containing “dual-use” components and chemical compounds that could be used for drones, missile guidance systems, and ballistic missiles. The Wall Street Journal said one shipment arrived in Tehran as the US and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire on June 17, and the shipment contained Chinese “dual-use” electronics components that could be used in Iran’s drones and missile guidance systems. The Wall Street Journal reported that two days later, more than a dozen shipments arrived carrying parts valued at over $6 million that could be used in drones.
The Wall Street Journal said Iranian customs records reviewed by the Journal showed shipments containing GPS devices, electric motors, aircraft engine parts and other dual-use equipment. The Wall Street Journal reported that China remains the main buyer of Iranian oil despite US sanctions, while Washington has sanctioned a series of Chinese and Hong Kong entities accused of helping Tehran obtain military components.
Mahan Air and Flight Surge
The Wall Street Journal said Mahan Air, an Iranian airline under US sanctions, sharply increased its China-Iran flights after the war began, and by late April it was operating around 27 flights a week from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to Tehran. The Wall Street Journal reported that the shipments formed part of a surge in cargo flights from China to Iran that provided Tehran with a key supply route for its weapons programs as US sanctions and a naval blockade restricted maritime trade. The Wall Street Journal said Iranian customs records reviewed by the Journal showed shipments containing GPS devices, electric motors, aircraft engine parts and other dual-use equipment.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington has sanctioned a series of Chinese and Hong Kong entities accused of helping Tehran obtain military components, and it said Iranian officials did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment. The Wall Street Journal reported that Beijing has rejected accusations that it is fueling the conflict, saying it abides by international rules and pushing back against “attempts to smear China by associating it with the conflict.”
Xi-Trump Summit Stakes
The Wall Street Journal said the revelations came ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, where Beijing’s support for Tehran is reportedly expected to loom over talks. The Wall Street Journal reported that Beijing has rejected accusations that it is fueling the conflict, saying it abides by international rules and pushing back against “attempts to smear China by associating it with the conflict.” The Wall Street Journal said China also said that it strictly controls exports of dual-use goods and that it rejects unilateral US sanctions on trade with Iran.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has been reluctant to confront China’s aid to Iran, and it said a US Treasury spokesperson told the Journal that the Trump administration “has repeatedly targeted malign Iran-related activity that exploits or transits China’s jurisdiction and will continue to do so.” The Wall Street Journal said Iranian officials did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment, while it reported that Chinese companies have additionally helped supply Iran with chemical precursors used in weapons production.