Watch out for flight tracking images showing Chinese cargo planes landing in Iran
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
China sends mystery transport planes into Iran
Three flights in three days from China appear to have headed towards Iran. Flight plans indicated a final destination of Luxembourg, but the aircraft appeared to have never flown near European skies. Boeing 747s are commonly used for transporting military equipment and weapons.
Data showed that on each flight, the plane flew westward along northern China, crossing into Kazakhstan, then south into Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan – and then falling off the radar as it neared Iran.
To add to the mystery, flight plans indicated a final destination of Luxembourg, but the aircraft appeared to have never flown near European skies.
There is concern over what might have been sent from China in the direction of Iran as Tehran’s war with Israel rages on.
Aviation experts have noted that the type of plane used, Boeing 747 freighters, are commonly used for transporting military equipment and weapons, and hired to fly government contract orders.
Mysterious Chinese Cargo Flights to Iran Following Israeli Strikes: Telegraph reports
Zak Wagman, 26, is unable to fly home following the closure of Israel’s airspace amid the conflict with Iran. He said he has had to take cover in a bomb shelter most nights and said there has been frequent sirens and empty streets around his hotel in Herzliya, in the district of Tel Aviv.
Zak Wagman, 26, is unable to fly home following the closure of Israel’s airspace amid the conflict with Iran.
He said he has had to take cover in a bomb shelter most nights and said there has been frequent sirens and empty streets around his hotel in Herzliya, in the district of Tel Aviv.
The Conservative councillor for Stanmore, who works in PR and communications, arrived in Israel last Wednesday to attend a family member’s wedding.
He was due to fly back to London last Monday but says his flight with Israeli airline El Al was cancelled.
He remains with his father, father’s partner and brother and says he is waiting for advice from the Government.
Mr Wagman told the PA news agency: “There was always a level of apprehension given the ongoing situation since October 7 but nothing that caused me to think anything other than coming.
“I have been here before and all the guidance indicated it was safe and acceptable to come here.”
He said the bomb sirens heard through the night sounded “crazy”.
Mr Wagman added: “Being someone that’s lived in London, I have never until last week experienced bomb sirens or rockets going off and having to get down quickly to bomb shelters.
US moves 30 jets as Iran attack speculation grows
US moves 30 jets as Iran attack speculation grows. At least seven of these – all KC-135s – stopped off in US airbases in Spain, Scotland and England. The flights come as Israel and Iran continue to exchange strikes, after Israel launched an operation on Friday that it said was to destroy Tehran’s nuclear programme. It is unclear whether the US movements are directly connected to the conflict, but one expert told BBC Verify that the tanker aircraft flights were “highly unusual” The jet movements come amid reports that the US has also moved an aircraft carrier – the USS Nimitz – from the South China Sea towards the Middle East. But the former head of Irish Defence Forces, Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett, said that the movements could be part of a broader policy of “strategic ambiguity” that could be attempting to influence Iran to make concessions.
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At least 30 US military planes have been moved from bases in America to Europe over the past three days, flight tracking data reviewed by BBC Verify has shown. The planes in question are all US military tanker aircraft used to re-fuel fighter jets and bombers. According to Flightradar24, at least seven of these – all KC-135s – stopped off in US airbases in Spain, Scotland and England. The flights come as Israel and Iran continue to exchange strikes, after Israel launched an operation on Friday that it said was to destroy Tehran’s nuclear programme. It is unclear whether the US movements are directly connected to the conflict, but one expert told BBC Verify that the tanker aircraft flights were “highly unusual”.
Justin Bronk, a senior analyst with the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank, said that the deployments were “highly suggestive” that the US was putting in place contingency plans to “support intensive combat operations” in the region in the coming weeks. The seven jets tracked by BBC Verify have since travelled on and according to flight tracking data could be seen flying east of Sicily as of Tuesday afternoon. Six had no stated destination – one landed on the Greek island of Crete. But the former head of Irish Defence Forces, Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett, said that the movements could be part of a broader policy of “strategic ambiguity” that could be attempting to influence Iran to make concessions in talks over its nuclear programme. Israel initially launched an attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure on Friday, just a day after President Donald Trump’s deadline to Iran to strike a deal on suspending its nuclear programme expired. The jet movements come amid reports that the US has also moved an aircraft carrier – the USS Nimitz, from the South China Sea towards the Middle East. The Reuters news agency reported that a planned event involving the ship in Vietnam was cancelled after what the US embassy in Hanoi called an “emergent operational requirement”. MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking website, showed that the USS Nimitz’s last location was in the Malacca Strait heading towards Singapore early on Tuesday. The Nimitz carries a contingent of fighter jets and is escorted by several guided missile destroyers.
The US has also moved F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter jets to bases in the Middle East, three defence officials told Reuters on Tuesday. The tanker planes moved to Europe over the past several days can be used to re-fuel these jets. Earlier on Tuesday, Vice-President JD Vance suggested that the US could intervene to support Israel’s campaign, writing on social media that Trump “may decide he needs to take further action” to end Iran’s nuclear programme. Tehran is believed to run two principal underground enrichment sites. Natanz has already been hit by Israel, and Fordo is buried deep within a mountain complex near the city of Qom. To penetrate the facility, the US would likely have to use GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) munitions, two senior Western military officers told BBC Verify. MOPs are huge, 30,000lb (13,600kg) bombs also known as “bunker busters”.
The bomb is the only conventional weapon of its kind that is thought to be capable of breaching up to 200ft (60m) of concrete. Only the B-2 stealth bomber can carry the munitions. Recently, the US has had a squadron of B-2 bombers at its base on the island of Diego Garcia. While the island is some 2,400 miles from Iran’s southern coastline, their location on Diego Garcia would put them well within striking range of Iran. “You would be able to maintain a sustained operation from [Diego Garcia] far more efficiently,” Air Marshall Greg Bagwell – a former RAF deputy operations chief – told BBC Verify. “You could literally have them round the clock operating.” Satellite images first showed B-2 bombers had been stationed on Diego Garcia at the end of March, but the most recent imagery from the island no longer shows the bombers present.
How one US weapon could change the course of the Israel-Iran conflict
Is China secretly arming Iran? Three mystery Chinese planes to Tehran in three days raise alarm
China has long maintained strong economic, energy, and military ties with Iran. It buys a large portion of Iran’s oil (despite US sanctions), has sold Iran military and surveillance technology in the past, and sees Tehran as a useful partner in countering Western influence in the Middle East. China is also deeply invested in regional stability, especially in the Gulf, where its energy interests are concentrated. Openly backing Iran in a war against Israel (a U.S. ally) would jeopardise Beijing’s fragile balancing act and risk sanctions or reputational damage. If it is helping Tehran militarily, China is doing so very quietly and deniably. It could also be a calculated move to test Western lines – gauging how far it can back its strategic allies without provoking a significant backlash. Finally, with Iran now a member of BRICS and pushing new multipolar world order, it might reflect a broader effort to reinforce alignments within the BRICS bloc. China has said it is ‘deeply worried’ about the conflict in Asia.
As Israel and Iran trade blows in a dangerous military escalation, an unexpected player may be quietly entering the fray. Over three consecutive days, three Chinese Boeing 747 cargo planes landed in Tehran, sparking speculation that Beijing may be covertly aiding Iran. Are these flights routine, or is China secretly backing Iran with military support?
What happened?
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According to flight tracking data and intelligence sources in regional and defence media, three Boeing 747 cargo aircraft originating from China flew into Iran. The first one left on Saturday, a day after Israel attacked Iran. The second one reached the next day, i.e. Sunday, as Iran prepared retaliatory moves, and the third one reached Iran the next day, i.e. Monday.
These planes are not ordinary cargo haulers; they’re the type typically associated with military-grade logistics, capable of transporting missiles, drones, and other heavy equipment. The flights have raised red flags, especially because they occurred during an unfolding military crisis between Iran and Israel.
All three planes followed the same route – west over northern China into Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, before vanishing from radar near Iran. Though listed as bound for Luxembourg, none of the aircraft came close to Europe.
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The timing, the aircraft type, and the destination — all suggest these weren’t routine shipments.
Is China helping Iran? The case for caution
China has long maintained strong economic, energy, and military ties with Iran. It buys a large portion of Iran’s oil (despite US sanctions), has sold Iran military and surveillance technology in the past, and sees Tehran as a useful partner in countering Western influence in the Middle East. Reports suggest that Iran sends over 90 per cent of its oil exports to China.
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Over 90% of Iran’s oil exports go to China, making Beijing’s refining sector heavily reliant on Tehran’s discounted crude. Due to Western sanctions, Iran sells its oil secretly through a “dark fleet” of tankers with transponders turned off. Most of this oil is bought by small “teapot” refineries in China’s Shandong region, drawn by discounts of $2–$11 per barrel since 2022. Payments are made in yuan, forcing Iran to spend heavily on Chinese goods — a setup one Iranian official called “a colonial trap.”
If Israel were to strike Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, it could sever this supply line, causing immediate disruption in China. While Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE could replace some of Iran’s output, the short-term shock would be severe. Although Iran’s refineries haven’t been hit yet, Israel’s ongoing airstrikes have already pushed oil prices higher.
Notably, this isn’t the first time China has supported Iran — it has previously supplied thousands of tonnes of ballistic missile materials.
But China is also deeply invested in regional stability, especially in the Gulf, where its energy interests are concentrated. Openly backing Iran in a war against Israel (a U.S. ally) would jeopardise Beijing’s fragile balancing act and risk sanctions or reputational damage.
So, is Beijing really helping Tehran militarily? It’s possible. But if it is, China is doing so very quietly and deniably.
Why would China help Iran?
If the cargo planes did indeed carry weapons or sensitive equipment, several possible motives could explain China’s actions. First, by supporting Iran, China may be aiming to counter US and Israeli influence in the region, strengthening the broader anti-Western bloc while keeping Washington and Tel Aviv distracted. Second, discreetly aiding Tehran could give Beijing diplomatic leverage in future ceasefire or settlement talks, positioning itself as an indispensable power broker. Third, this could be a calculated move to test Western red lines – gauging how far it can back its strategic allies without provoking a significant backlash. Finally, with Iran now a member of BRICS and China pushing for a new multipolar world order, providing arms support might reflect a broader effort to reinforce alignments within the BRICS bloc and challenge the dominance of Western-led alliances.
How has China reacted to the conflict?
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday said China was “deeply worried” about the conflict in West Asia.
“All parties should work to de-escalate the conflict as soon as possible and prevent the situation from worsening further,” he said on the sidelines of a summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday his country was concerned that the conflict between Israel and Iran “may get out of control”, warning that the region could slide into an “abyss”.
“Israel’s acts of disregarding international law and international rules have caused the situation in the Middle East to suddenly become tense, and China is also deeply concerned that the situation may get out of control,” Wang told his Egyptian counterpart in a phone call Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry said.
The same day, in a separate call with Oman’s foreign minister, Wang said the two countries “cannot sit idly by and let the region slide into an unknown abyss”. He said reaching a ceasefire agreement was a “top priority”.
On Thursday, Xi called for all parties but “especially Israel” to stop hostilities in a phone call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Chinese state media reported.
“Parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease hostilities as soon as possible to prevent a cyclical escalation and resolutely avoid the spillover of the war,” Xi said, according to Xinhua.
Mystery Boeing 747 flights leaving China for Iran raise questions amid Israel conflict
Several Boeing 747s have been spotted on radar leaving China for Iran over the last week, sparking concerns that the CCP is helping the Middle Eastern nation transport cargo or people. Some experts have speculated that these types of planes are typically used for transport and could be evidence of China aiding its longtime ally Iran during the conflict with Israel. Some have cast doubt on the flights representing a nefarious connection between the two nations, including Atlantic Council fellow Tuvia Gering who posted on X that an aviation expert told him the flights are “nothing to write home about” The Telegraph reported that the “mystery transport planes” had flown westward along northern China before crossing into Kazakhstan, south through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and then fell off radar as they approached Iran. The report indicated that the flights had a final destination of Luxembourg but don’t appear to have ever crossed into European airspace. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and he is expected to meet with national security and defense leaders again on Thursday.
Starting on June 14th, FlightRadar24 shows that at least five flights traveled from China to Iran, and The Telegraph reported that the “mystery transport planes” had flown westward along northern China before crossing into Kazakhstan, south through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and then fell off radar as they approached Iran.
Additionally, the report indicated that the flights had a final destination of Luxembourg but don’t appear to have ever crossed into European airspace.
Some experts have speculated that these types of planes are typically used for transport and could be evidence of China aiding its longtime ally Iran during the conflict with Israel, although Fox News Digital has not independently confirmed the nature of the flights.
“I think it’s important to remember what the relationship is, forty-three percent of China’s oil and gas comes from the Middle East, a large volume of that from Iran,” Robert Greenway, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense, told “The Ingraham Angle” on Wednesday night.
“It likes to buy sanctioned oil below market value, and that fuels the Chinese economy and also its military ambitions, and so, that’s the central relationship. They’ve been relatively quiet – in fact, extremely quiet – about the current conflict and coming to Iran’s assistance. We also know that a large fire in Bandar-Abbas port was Chinese solid propellant for missiles that exploded and created a tremendous amount of damage just about a month ago. I think it’s unlikely to see Chinese arms shipments under the circumstances to Iran. It’s more likely that Iran may be removing material or personnel or regime valuables to safe haven in light of the conflict. I think that’s probably the extent to which China is willing to accept the risk associated with the current circumstances.”
In 2021, Fox News Digital reported that Tehran and Beijing signed a 25-year cooperation deal amidst great fanfare in the Iranian capital. University of Tehran Professor Mohammad Marandi, who is close to the regime, told Fox News that it is about much more than what’s on paper.
“This strategic partnership is important because it allows Iran and China to build a roadmap for long-term relations that will be much more fruitful,” he said. “It’s also a signal being sent to the United States. The more the U.S. tries to isolate Iran and China, the more it causes countries like Iran and China to move more closely to each other.”
Some have cast doubt on the flights representing a nefarious connection between the two nations, including Atlantic Council fellow Tuvia Gering who posted on X that an aviation expert told him the flights are “nothing to write home about.”
“There are regular cargo flights by the Luxembourg-based freight company from several locations in China to Europe, with a stopover in Turkmenistan (just a few dozen kilometers from the Iranian border),” Gering wrote.
“Some flight tracking websites lose the tracking signal shortly before landing and continue to show a projected route that appears to enter Iranian airspace. The sites clearly indicate that this is an estimated path; checking the aircraft tail numbers shows they take off again from Turkmenistan a few hours later, and reviewing the flight history of these routes shows they always land in Ashgabat and do not continue into Iran. All this is before even considering the obvious logic that a major European cargo company is highly unlikely to be the channel through which China transfers its super-advanced, top-secret strategic weapons to Iran.”
Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated significantly in recent days, with the United States contemplating whether it will get directly involved in striking Iran. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and he is expected to meet with national security and defense leaders again on Thursday.
“Yes, I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do. I can tell you this that Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate,” Trump said Wednesday.
“And I said, why didn’t you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction? Why didn’t you go? I said to people, why didn’t you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country. It’s very sad to watch this,” the president added.
Originally published as Mystery Boeing 747 flights leaving China for Iran raise questions amid Israel conflict