Ship Loaded With Missile Fuel Component En Route To Iran Despite Sanctions

An Iranian cargo vessel, MV Jairan, is currently en route to Bandar Abbas, carrying a shipment of sodium perchlorate, a chemical essential for missile fuel production.

The ship, owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), a sanctioned entity, was spotted passing through the Straits of Malacca on March 16, 2025.

The vessel is expected to reach Iran ahead of its scheduled arrival on March 26. Sodium perchlorate is the main feedstock for ammonium perchlorate, a critical component in solid-fueled ballistic missiles.

The 16,694-ton MV Jairan is suspected of carrying 24 containers of sodium perchlorate. Experts estimate this amount could produce enough ammonium perchlorate to fuel around 250 medium-range missiles.

These include Khybar-Shikan, Fattah, Fateh-110, and Zolfaghar missiles, which Iran has previously used in attacks across the Middle East and Ukraine.

While sodium perchlorate has civilian applications, such as engraving and livestock feed production, its dual-use nature and IRISL’s involvement raise serious concerns.

The United States classifies it as a hazardous material due to its explosive risks and health hazards, including breathing difficulties and kidney damage from fume exposure.

The shipment may fall under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929, which warns about IRISL’s history of sanctions violations and its role in Iran’s missile program.

Iranian military production facilities in Parchin and Khojir process sodium perchlorate into ammonium perchlorate, which constitutes 70% of the solid-fuel load in most Iranian missiles.

These missiles have been used against Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Ukraine, and have been supplied to Russia and Iran’s Axis of Resistance allies.

Per reports, Iran may be facing a shortage of ammonium perchlorate, leading to the risky decision to ship the chemical despite potential interception threats.

Analysts suggest this shortage comes from Israeli attacks on Iranian fuel production sites, increasing demand due to conflicts, and exports to Russia.

Iran’s solid-fueled missile technology has been demonstrated in high-profile military exercises. In February 2024, Iran’s Tasnim news agency released footage of two Zolfaghar missiles launched from the deck of the IRGC’s Shahid Mahdavi in the Gulf of Oman. These missiles have also been used by the Houthis to attack Saudi oil facilities.

Experts warn that Iran’s ability to transport and deploy these weapons from ships gives it a mobile, unpredictable attack capability, increasing security threats to regional shipping and infrastructure.

The MV Jairan is travelling without naval escorts, relying on the assumption that it will not be intercepted. The ship kept its Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched on, possibly as a signal that no country has the political will to stop it.

Despite concerns from U.S. policymakers, the ship has continued its course without interference. Eight U.S. senators have urged the State Department to act, but no interception has occurred so far.

After passing through the vulnerable Straits of Malacca, the vessel is now moving toward the northern Indian Ocean, where it will soon be under protection from the Iranian Navy.

Reference: Archyde

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