Iran port explosion caused by Chinese missile fuel: Reports

The massive explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port was caused by imported missile fuel from China, according to reports.

Earlier this year, China had imported ammonium perchlorate from China. The chemical is used a fuel to propel missiles. The sale of ammonium perchlorate to Iran is restricted under US sanctions on the Islamist regime.

There are indications that the explosion at the port that killed dozens and injured hundreds was caused by the mishandling of ammonium perchlorate.

At least 40 people have been killed and 1,200 injured in the explosion, according to Iranian state media.

The New York Times and private security company Ambrey reported that the blast was a result of improper storage of ammonium perchlorate at the port.

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Iran had imported ammonium perchlorate from China this year as a result of the depletion of Iran’s stocks after two rounds of aerial battles with Israel. In these battles, Israel had also damaged Iran’s missile production capabilities in addition to taking out most of the regime’s air defences.

Iranian state media have reported that the blast at Bandar Abbas was likely set off by containers of chemicals but did not go into specifics. The media have suggested sabotage.

Earlier this year, at least two ships named Golbon and MV Jairan arrived in Iran from China with more than 1,000 tons of ammonium perchlorate at the behest of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran, according to CNN.

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Shipping Journal Maritime Executive reported that combined cargos of the two ships “would be sufficient to fuel approximately 250 medium range Khybar-Shikan and Fattah missiles, or shorter range Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles, or their Houthi equivalents”.

Earlier in January, when the supply of ammonium perchlorate from China to Iran was first reported, former CIA analyst Dennis Wilder told Financial Times that China has a long history of arming Iran dating back to 1980s when it supplied Silkworm anti-ship missiles during the Iran-Iraq war.

“Since the early 1990s, China has assisted the Iranian military extensively with its ballistic missile development programme and has provided expertise, technology, parts, and training. China’s motivation for secretly assisting Iran today includes clandestinely helping Iran produce missiles for the Russian war effort [in Ukraine], cementing common cause against perceived US hegemonism . . . and Beijing’s purchase annually of large amounts of discounted Iranian crude oil,” said Wilder, who is currently an assistant professor at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.