Nikki Haley, the former US envoy to the United Nations (UN), on Monday (local time), accused of helping Iran in its war with the US.
In a post on X, Haley, the former Republican Presidential candidate, wrote, “The ship the US seized in the Strait of Hormuz this weekend was headed from China to Iran and is linked to chemical shipments for missiles.”
She went on to say that Beijing refused Washington’s repeated orders to stop helping the Islamic Republic.
Further elaborating on Beijing’s role in assisting Tehran, Haley said, “Another reminder that China is helping prop up Iran’s regime—a reality that can’t be ignored.”
Seized Iranian vessel identified as “Touska”
According to a Hindustan Times report, the seized Iranian vessel has been identified as Touska, a container ship reportedly part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which is already under US sanctions.
According to ship-tracking data from Marine Traffic, US forces boarded the ship on 19 April near Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman.
Islamic Republic slams US for seizing vessel
While the Islamic Republic’s military claimed the vessel had departed from Beijing, it strongly condemned the US operation, calling it an act of “armed piracy.”
Additionally, Tehran has hinted that it will not send a delegation to Pakistan’s capital, , for the next round of talks, unless Washington agrees to lift the blockade.
Vessel carrying dual-use material: US experts
A Reuters report, citing US sources, noted that early assessment revealed that the vessel may have been carrying dual-use materials. These items can be used for both civilian and military purposes, following their journey from Asia.
However, the US officials did not specify the exact cargo. Previously, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) flagged items such as metal, pipes, and electronic components as goods that may have served both industrial and military functions.
In 2019, imposed sanctions on IRISL and accused it of being “the preferred shipping line for Iranian proliferators and procurement agents,” including entities linked to Iran’s ballistic missile programme.
Trump threatens to impose 50% tariffs on China
Haley’s accusation comes days after US President threatened China with a 50% immediate tariff after a CNN report citing US intelligence stated that is possibly helping Tehran in its war with Washington. The report suggested that China was reportedly preparing to ship weapons to the Islamic Republic as the two-week ceasefire was in place. Speaking to Fox News on 12 April, the US President noted, “I doubt they would do that… but if we catch them doing that, they get a 50% tariff, which is a staggering amount.”
The report further revealed that China was potentially going to route the shipments of shoulder-fired anti-air missiles (MANPADS), which threatened low-flying US aircraft during the five-week war, via a third country to mask their true origin.
However, last week, when Trump announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, he claimed that Beijing 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, also – And the World. This situation will never happen again. They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran.”
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 a letter saying that essentially he’s not doing that,” Trump said.
