Caught on Flightradar: Did China secretly send weapons to Iran? 3 mysterious cargo planes spark global alarm

Time of India

4 hours ago

Only a day after Israel launched attacks on Iran, a Boeing 747 freighter plane departed from China, the following day, another left from a coastal Chinese city, and then on Monday, a third plane took off from Shanghai, raising concerns that China might be sending weapons to Iran, as per a report.
Chinese Flights That Disappeared
The three flights that flew in the three consecutive days, which were Boeing 747 freighters, are commonly employed to carry heavy-duty military equipment under government contracts, according to The Telegraph. All three flights took very similar paths, flying west over northern China, crossing into Kazakhstan, then curving south into Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and then falling off the radar as it neared Iran, reported The Telegraph.
The concerns over what might have been sent from China in the direction of Iran increased as the flight plan indicated that each plane was bound for Luxembourg, but none of the planes were even spotted anywhere near Europe, according to The Telegraph report.
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China-Iran Strategic Ties
A lecturer at the University of Exeter who specialises in China's relations with the Middle East and North Africa, Andrea Ghiselli pointed out that, 'These cargos cannot but generate a lot of interest because of the expectation that China might do something to help Iran,' quoted The Telegraph.
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The doubts arise as China and Iran are strategic partners, who are aligned in their opposition to the US-led world order, and in favour of a new 'multi-polar' phase in global diplomacy, as per the report. While, Iran is also one of China's main energy suppliers, as it sends about two million barrels of oil a day, which might have led Beijing to find ways to support and stabilise the Islamic Republic, according to The Telegraph.
Ghiselli explained that, 'The collapse of the current regime would be a significant blow and would generate a lot of instability in the Middle East, ultimately undermining Chinese economic and energy interests,' as quoted in the report. He added that, 'Moreover, in Iran there are probably many that are expecting some kind of help from China,' quoted The Telegraph.
The Big Unknown
However, it is not possible to know exactly what the cargo planes were carrying unless an independent inspections is done, according to the report. While some of the aircraft which flew later appear to take off from around the same area along the Turkmenistan-Iran border, and go toward Luxembourg, The Telegraph reported, citing publicly available flight data.
FAQs
Why are these flights raising concerns?
Because they vanished from radar near Iran, used large cargo planes suited for military transport, and claimed destinations (Luxembourg) that they reportedly never reached.
What kind of aircraft were involved?
All three were Boeing 747 freighters, often used in transporting military-grade cargo and government shipments.