Iran reportedly receiving dual-use components, military intelligence from China
Iran is receiving substantial support from China, including the provision of intelligence and electronic components for military purposes, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
According to WSJ, citing Iranian customs data, China has 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 WSJ also cited US officials as saying that Chinese banks and front companies had assisted Iran in avoiding US sanctions, providing billions of dollars to the regime.
Iranian officials did not respond to WSJ requests for comment.
Trump reluctant to jeopardize relationship with Xi Jinping
US President Donald Trump has been reluctant to confront China’s aid to Iran, the WSJ reported.
According to people familiar with the discussions, Trump said that a top priority was maintaining a good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
Michigan Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin confronted Trump over this in a letter sent on Friday, which the WSJ saw.
Ellis urged Trump to focus on China’s aid to Iran during his talks with Xi.
“There is now a large and growing body of evidence that Chinese companies are helping Iran target and kill American troops, keep Iran’s drone and missile programs alive, and sustain Iran’s economy,” she wrote.
A US Treasury spokesperson told the WSJ that the Trump administration “has repeatedly targeted malign Iran-related activity that exploits or transits China’s jurisdiction and will continue to do so.”
Iran receives satellite imagery of US base from China
Earlier this month, the WSJ revealed that Iran had obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a US base in Jordan from Chinese sources before launching the missile attack that killed three American soldiers in July.
The WSJ reported that Washington has drawn a direct line between the Chinese-sourced imagery and the July 17 strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, but did not confirm direct involvement from the Chinese government.
Iran has also used a barter-like arrangement to bypass sanctions on its oil sales and buy billions of dollars’ worth of goods from China, including military gear, two senior Iranian sources and three other people familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this month.
The secretive trade mechanism, in which Iranian oil is exchanged for credits for Chinese imports, has provided a financial lifeline for Tehran in recent years as the United States stepped up economic and military pressure over its nuclear program, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In July, Reuters reported that Iran was expected to receive within weeks a first shipment out of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers, as it rebuilds its defenses amid war with the United States.
The purchase, valued at $60-70 million, is one of Tehran’s largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air defenses since the outbreak of its war with the US and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran’s ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.
Reuters and Asher Smith contributed to this report.
