US forces seized a ship off Sri Lanka carrying Chinese components for Iranian missiles, amid rising tensions and new sanctions.
A US special operations team intercepted a vessel off the coast of Sri Lanka several weeks ago, seizing cargo bound for Iran that included Chinese-made dual-use components such as spectrometers and gyroscopes, according to reports from Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
On November 12, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on a network of companies in China, Iran, Turkey, and the UAE that supply parts for Iranian missile and drone production. The sanctions specifically named the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Shun Kai Xing, now known as Honestar (IMO 9187368), for transporting equipment used in guidance systems.
Iranian ballistic missiles and drones have been deployed against Israeli and American targets, including Al Udeid airbase in June 2025 and Al Asad in August 2024. The same systems, which have been exported to Russia, have also been used in attacks on Ukraine.
UN Security Resolution 1929 obliges states to inspect vessels suspected of carrying prohibited cargo and to seize banned missile-related materials. The US action aligns with these provisions, aiming to prevent escalation once the cargo reached Iran.
Maritime Executive has tracked multiple shipments of sodium perchlorate from China to Iran aboard IRISL vessels Golbon and Jairan. These deliveries, totaling 58 containers, were linked to the April 26 explosion at Bandar Abbas port.
Sodium perchlorate is a precursor for ammonium perchlorate, which constitutes 70 percent of the fuel load in Iran's solid-fueled ballistic missiles. Despite the Bandar Abbas blast, Iran ordered an additional 185 containers, enough to fuel 800 missiles, according to the Wall Street Journal.
European intelligence has reported that four sanctioned ships carried 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate from China to Bandar Abbas in September and October. CNN indicated that this cargo was sufficient for approximately 500 missiles. Some vessels have since returned to China, raising concerns about continued shipments and prompting calls for stronger enforcement measures.
