Image Credentials: Image Title: Iranian Ships Depart Chinese Port with Ballistic Missile Components Amid War Source: (sora.openai) Date: March 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (sora.openai) and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
ZHUHAI, CHINA — A Washington Post investigation has revealed that two Iranian cargo ships departed a specialized chemical-storage port in China this week, laden with cargo suspected to be key precursors for solid rocket fuel.
The movement of the vessels, the Shabdis and the Barzin, marks a bold strategic pivot for Beijing. Experts suggest that by allowing these ships to sail for Iran during an active conflict with the United States and Israel, China is signaling a willingness to risk its regional relationships to bolster its ally’s depleted missile stocks.
The “Sodium Perchlorate” Pipeline
The ships docked at the Gaolan port in Zhuhai, a facility known for handling high volumes of liquid and solid chemicals. According to satellite imagery and ship-tracking data analyzed by The Post:
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Strategic Cargo: Experts believe the ships are carrying sodium perchlorate, a chemical with few civilian uses outside of fireworks and rocket propellants. It is an essential component for the solid-fuel motors that power Iran’s most advanced ballistic missiles, such as the Sejjil.
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The Carrier: Both vessels belong to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), a state-owned company already under heavy U.S. and EU sanctions for its role in Tehran’s proliferation networks.
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Volume: While the Shabdis and Barzin are the latest to depart, at least a dozen other IRISL ships have reportedly visited the port since the beginning of 2026.
A “Departure” from Neutrality
The timing of the shipment is particularly sensitive. Since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, the U.S. and Israel have successfully neutralized a significant portion of Iran’s air defense and missile launch infrastructure.
“China could have held these vessels at port,” said a former U.S. Treasury official. “Allowing them to depart now, laden with weapons-related material, is an uncharacteristically bold strategy that risks souring Beijing’s relations with Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, which are currently being targeted by these very missiles.”
The Battlefield Impact
Iran has fired over 1,200 missiles and drones at its neighbors and U.S. bases in the first week of the war. Analysts at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy note that Iran is likely facing a critical shortage of solid-fuel components due to the intensity of its salvos and the destruction of domestic production facilities by Israeli airstrikes.
If the cargo from Gaolan reaches Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port, it could provide the IRGC with the necessary materials to sustain its ballistic missile offensive for several more weeks.
Regional Reactions
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The White House: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the U.S. is aware of reports of third-party assistance to Iran and warned that “any entity providing material support to the regime’s war machine will face the full weight of U.S. sanctions.”
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China: The Chinese Embassy in Washington has not responded to requests for comment, though Beijing has historically characterized such trade as “normal commercial activity.”
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Gulf Allies: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are reportedly monitoring the shipments with “grave concern,” as their interceptor stocks are also being tested by the high volume of Iranian fire.