Behind Iran’s Ballistic Missile Programs, Decades of Support From Chinese Nationals

Working through fronts and proxies, Chinese state-tolerated actors persist in aiding Iran’s strategic arsenal, officials said.
Behind Iran’s Ballistic Missile Programs, Decades of Support From Chinese Nationals
Smoke rises from a location allegedly IRGC’s Sarallah Headquarters in north of Tehran, Iran after being targeted by Israel on June 23, 2025. Elyas / Middle East Images via AFP via Getty Images
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A variety of international sanctions are in place against Iran’s nuclear project and missile program, but undercutting the effectiveness of these restrictions is the extensive and longstanding assistance Tehran is receiving from Chinese nationals.

Despite decades of legal and diplomatic action by the United States and other countries to impose export controls and non-proliferation agreements, U.S. court indictments and other government documentation show that Chinese business networks deliver products critical for sustaining Iran’s missile development and production.

Leo Timm
Leo Timm
Author
Leo Timm is a freelance contributor to The Epoch Times. He covers Chinese politics, society, and current affairs.