Krishnamoorthi, Courtney Press State and CIA on China’s Continued Transfers of Rocket Fuel Ingredients to Iran

WASHINGTON – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe expressing deep concern over the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) continued provision of key ingredients used for producing rocket fuel to Iran, and the Administration’s failure to deter these transfers.

According to recent reports, since September 2025, companies based in the PRC have provided Iran with approximately 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a critical chemical precursor used to produce solid propellant for ballistic missiles. This quantity would be sufficient to fuel roughly 500 ballistic missiles and is considered indispensable to Tehran’s efforts to rebuild its missile arsenal following its 12-day war with Israel last summer.

The lawmakers noted that these shipments violate United Nations sanctions reimposed in September which prohibit international support for Iran’s ballistic missile program and development of nuclear weapons delivery systems. 

The Members emphasized that “Beijing’s support for Tehran’s rearmament is deeply concerning and provides yet another example of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) willingness to abet authoritarian aggression from Europe to the Middle East. This support not only increases Iran’s threat to its neighbors but also assists Russia and pro-Iranian proxy groups like the Houthis whose missile programs Iran has previously supported.”

Citing CNN reporting, the letter details that 10 to 12 shipments of sodium perchlorate have arrived in Iran from PRC ports since September 29, including deliveries aboard the MV Basht, a vessel already under U.S. sanctions. At least one of the ships reportedly disabled its automated tracking system to disguise its movements.

The lawmakers warn that these transfers demonstrate that the Trump Administration’s actions to date have failed to deter Beijing from supporting Tehran’s offensive weapons programs. Earlier this year, the Members wrote to the Administration about the PRC’s shipment of 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate to Iran, likely intended for use by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. Although the Trump Administration announced sanctions in April 2025 targeting several Iranian and PRC entities, additional shipments have continued, with reports indicating that Iran took delivery of another 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate from the PRC in June.

“Beijing’s latest shipments of these critical chemical precursors indicate that U.S. actions to date have failed to deter it from supporting Tehran’s procurement of offensive military capabilities,” the lawmakers write. “Beijing seems increasingly emboldened to assist Tehran’s rearmament efforts with impunity.” 

The Members request that Secretary Rubio and Director Ratcliffe provide detailed responses on what steps the Administration is taking to counter Beijing’s ongoing support for Iran’s ballistic missile program, including:

• What actions in addition to the April 2025 sanctions on Iranian and PRC entities, if any, is the Trump administration taking to respond to the PRC’s continuing support to Iran’s ballistic missile program?
• What steps, if any, is the Administration taking to coordinate our response to Beijing’s support for Iran’s ballistic missile program with U.S. allies and partners?
• How has the PRC helped Iran reconstitute its ballistic missile capabilities over the past year, including during the periods following hostilities between Iran and Israel in June 2025 and the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran in September 2025?
• Did Iran use any material shipped from the PRC in its ballistic missile attacks on Israel in June 2025 and on the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar that same month?
• Has Iran delivered any missile-related material or components sourced from the PRC to Russia or Iranian proxy groups in the Middle East, such as the Houthis?

The full letter is available HERE.

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