Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN, on Monday (local time) accused China of helping Iran in a war with the US.
In a post on X, Haley, a former Republican presidential candidate, wrote: “The ship the US seized this weekend in the Strait of Hormuz was bound for Iran from China and is linked to chemical supplies for missiles.”
She went on to say that Beijing has refused repeated orders from Washington to stop aiding the Islamic Republic.
Elaborating further on Beijing’s role in helping Tehran, Haley said: “Another reminder that China is helping support the Iranian regime – a reality that cannot be ignored.”
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Seized Iranian vessel identified as “Touska”
According to a Hindustan Times report, the seized Iranian vessel has been identified as the Touska, a container ship said to be part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which is already subject to US sanctions.
US forces boarded the ship on April 19 near the Iranian port of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman, according to ship tracking data from Marine Traffic.
The Islamic Republic criticizes the US for seizing the vessel
While the Islamic Republic’s military claimed the vessel had sailed from Beijing, it strongly condemned the US operation, calling it an act of “armed piracy”.
In addition, Tehran has indicated that it will not send a delegation to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for another round of talks unless Washington agrees to lift the blockade.
Read also | Hormuz traffic halted as risk of US seizure of vessel widens
Vessel carrying dual-use material: US experts
A Reuters report, citing US sources, noted that an early assessment revealed the vessel may have been carrying dual-use materials. These items can be used for both civilian and military purposes after their journey from Asia.
However, American officials did not specify the exact cargo. Previously, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) designated items such as metal, tubing and electronic components as goods that could serve both industrial and military functions.
In 2019, Washington imposed sanctions on IRISL, accusing it of being a “preferred shipping line for Iranian proliferators and supply intermediaries,” including entities linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program.
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Trump threatens to impose 50% tariffs on China
Haley’s accusation comes days after US President Donald Trump threatened China with 50% immediate tariffs after a CNN report citing US intelligence said Beijing may be helping Tehran in its war with Washington. The report indicated that China was reportedly preparing to send weapons to the Islamic Republic as the two-week ceasefire was in effect. In an interview with Fox News on April 12, the US president remarked: “I doubt they would do it… but if we catch them doing it, they will get a 50% tariff, which is a staggering amount.”
The report further revealed that China was potentially preparing to divert shipments of shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles (MANPADS) that threatened low-flying US aircraft during the five-week war through a third country to cover up their true origin.
But last week, when Trump announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, he claimed Beijing had agreed not to supply weapons to the Islamic Republic. In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them too – AND for the world. This situation will never happen again. They agreed not to send weapons to Iran.”
Read also | Trump’s claim after Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz: ‘He agreed to never close it’
He also added that he engaged Chinese President Xi Jinping to address the issue. “And I wrote him a letter asking him not to do that, and he wrote me that basically he doesn’t,” Trump said.
