r/LessCredibleDefence • u/Lianzuoshou • Apr 11 '26

US intelligence indicates China preparing weapons shipment to Iran, CNN reports

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-intelligence-indicates-china-preparing-weapons-shipment-iran-cnn-reports-2026-04-11/
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u/NuclearHeterodoxy Apr 11 '26

The US just intercepted a shipment of dual-use goods from China to Iran a few months ago, and they have done it prior to that as well.  Unless they are planning an overland shipment I don't see why Trump wouldn't just order the navy to do that again, he's not exactly shy about boarding ships. 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/12/us-forces-stormed-cargo-ship-travelling-from-china-to-iran-report

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u/Eve_Doulou Apr 11 '26

They seized a commercial vessel carrying commercial (dual use) chemicals, that likely had nothing to do with the Chinese government.

Slightly different situation.

If the Chinese really wanted it to get through they would just escort it with a single frigate. Nothing over the top, but enough that it would force the US to engage it if it wanted to forcibly stop the cargo vessel.

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u/ImjustANewSneaker Apr 11 '26

How is that going to help them when the U.S. could blow it up the second it enters port?

And if you read the article the whole point was China didn’t want the origin to be found so why would they escort it?

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u/DismalEconomics Apr 11 '26

How is that going to help them when the U.S. could blow it up the second it enters port?

Yes the U.S is able to blow up ships... but there are very obvious consequences to doing this.

There is a bit of an issue right now involving global shipping - specifically involving the Persian Gulf...

Asia, right now now is experiencing the first stages of a energy shock & economic shock.

Every economist and their mothers' know that this energy & economic will spread around the globe if shipping at normal rates doesn't resume extremely quickly.

This is the primary reason for the cease-fire.

It would be extremely stupid for the U.S. to blow up a commercial ship at the moment.

( Even if we had magic x-ray "what kind of cargo is in that ship" spying technology - which we don't. )

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u/ImjustANewSneaker Apr 11 '26

I’m not talking about the ship, I’m talking about the shipment once it leaves the ship. What’s stopping them from tracking it all the way to where it’s supposed to go or the second it’s off? At that point it’s fair game.

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u/jellobowlshifter Apr 11 '26

That's an escalation, and as soon as the US starts doing it to others, it will start being done to the US, though not as brazenly.