Missiles on display at an Iranian military museum. (Shutterstock)
The propellants are expected to replenish Iran’s supply of missiles after Israeli airstrikes destroyed missile production plants in October.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Iran has ordered from China thousands of tons of a crucial chemical component used as a propellant for ballistic missiles, The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported on Thursday.
The amount of ammonium perchlorate Iran has purchased is sufficient for 800 ballistic missiles.
The material, which is expected to arrive in a few months, is believed to have been ordered before US President Donald Trump announced in March that he was pursuing a nuclear agreement with the Islamic state.
According to the Journal, an Iranian company, Pishgaman Tejarat Rafi Novin Co., placed an order for ammonium perchlorate with Lion Commodities Holdings Ltd., a firm based in Hong Kong. The report noted that attempts to contact Pishgaman were unsuccessful, and the director of Lion Commodities did not respond to a request for comment.
The chemical compound is expected to help replenish Iran’s supply of missiles after Israeli airstrikes destroyed missile production plants in October.
Israel destroyed at least 12 planetary mixers, which blend the components of ballistic missiles.
In addition, Iran intends to use the material to continue arming its proxies, such as the Houthis in Yemen, who have launched many missiles into Israel.
When contacted, China’s Foreign Ministry denied knowledge of the contract.
“The Chinese side has always exercised strict control over dual-use items in accordance with China’s export control laws and regulations and its international obligations,” said the spokesperson.
Material from China were through to have played a role in an April explosion in an southern Iranian port that killed 18 people and injured hundreds.
The shipment of propellant that led to that blast was sufficient to produce 260 short-range missiles, but the ingredients accidentally detonated because of a blunder by the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
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