The US-based think-tank reports that Beijing has delivered multiple shipments of “missile fuel precursors” to Iran since the conflict began. Intelligence assessments and shipping data suggest Iranian vessels have been loading vital chemical components, such as sodium perchlorate, directly from Chinese ports.
NEW: China is helping Iran reconstitute the Iranian missile program amid US-Israeli efforts to degrade it. Western media reported that China has sent multiple shipments of missile fuel precursor to Iran since the start of the war. (1/2)
Iran has been digging out underground… pic.twitter.com/CSuErq8c7O
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) April 4, 2026
Analysts warn this support could significantly expand Iran’s missile production, potentially “adding hundreds more to its arsenal.” While not direct military intervention, experts describe it as “proxy support”—supplying dual-use materials that allow Iran to sustain a long-term war without China entering the battlefield openly.
According to an Atlantic Council report, Chinese dual-use exports to Iran spiked in January 2024, following a formalised strategic partnership emphasizing defense and security cooperation.
Despite high-frequency precision strikes by US and Israeli forces, Tehran has shown a “relentless commitment to its underground infrastructure.” A report by the New York Times noted that US intelligence assessments indicate Iranian engineers are “digging out silos and bunkers almost immediately after they are hit.” In some instances, these facilities have returned to operation within a few hours of being bombed.
Beyond raw materials, Beijing’s technological support is proving crucial. China is granting Iran access to its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, allowing Iranian missiles to bypass Western-controlled GPS, the Atlantic Council report added. By using BeiDou, Iran has “significantly enhanced the precision of strikes against high-value targets across the Gulf region,” making its missile threat more potent than ever.
Strategically, China appears to be insulating itself from the regional chaos. Despite its reliance on Gulf oil, Beijing holds the upper hand over the US in the Strait of Hormuz calculus. According to an analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Beijing needs the waterway open, but “on its own terms.”
By cutting direct deals with Tehran to guarantee safe passage for Chinese vessels and paying for Iranian crude in renminbi via the CIPS payment system, Beijing secures its energy flows while effectively sidelining Washington’s leverage.
