Wall Street Journal: Detained Iranian Cargo Ship Belongs to State-Owned Fleet, Frequent Visitor to China
The Wall Street Journal reported today that the Iranian cargo ship Touska, detained by the US military, is a vessel under a subsidiary of Iran's state-owned shipping company and frequently travels between China and Iran. Previously, two other container ships from the same subsidiary transported 1,000 tons of raw materials for Iranian medium-range missile propellant from China in 2025. China has expressed concern over the US interception.
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- 📰 Published: April 20, 2026 at 22:52
- 🔍 Collected: April 20, 2026 at 23:01 (9 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 23:04 (2 min after Collected)
Central News Agency (CNA) Taipei, April 20 - The Wall Street Journal reported today that the Iranian cargo ship Touska, detained by the US military, is a vessel under a subsidiary of Iran's state-owned shipping company and frequently travels between China and Iran. It had sailed to China's Zhuhai port twice in March of this year. According to the EU's ship information platform Equasis, the Touska belongs to Rahbaran Omid Darya, a subsidiary of the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL). A US specialized unit's research indicates it is a container ship that frequently travels between China and Iran. It sailed to Zhuhai twice in March and departed at the end of March, returning to Iran, before being intercepted in the Gulf of Oman on April 19 while evading US military interception.
Charlie Brown, a senior advisor at the US-based policy organization United Against Nuclear Iran and a retired US Navy officer, pointed out that the Touska's attempt to break the blockade signifies it was carrying 'something valuable to Iran,' making it 'certainly worth the risk.'
'United Against Nuclear Iran' stated in March that the Touska was one of several Iranian container ships still operating during the US-Iran conflict, transporting various goods. These ships belong to a larger fleet that includes tankers transporting Iranian oil to China. The entire fleet is trying to evade US and EU sanctions to conduct trade between Iran and other countries.
Brown said that since the outbreak of the US-Iran war in late February, as many as nine Iranian vessels have been recorded sailing to Zhuhai, China, in addition to the Touska. In March, two IRISL-affiliated cargo ships returned to Iran from Zhuhai, sparking speculation that they might have carried missile fuel and related components supplied by China to Iran.
According to reports, the Iranian company Rahbaran Omid Darya, to which the Touska belongs, used two other container ships under its management in 2025 to transport 1,000 tons of raw materials for Iranian medium-range missile solid propellant from China. Its state-owned parent company, IRISL, is a sanctioned entity by the US for transporting materials for military use.
The report said that the US has not yet revealed what items were found on board the 965-foot (294-meter) long container ship, nor is it clear why the ship attempted to break the blockade.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia Kun, when asked by foreign media about the incident today, said that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is sensitive and complex, and China expresses concern over the US's forced interception of the vessel. However, when pressed by media about what cargo the Touska was carrying, Guo Jia Kun did not answer.
Furthermore, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, this afternoon. Xi Jinping said that China advocates for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage. Mohammed bin Salman stated that Saudi Arabia is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to ensure the safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. (Editors: Chiu Kuo-chiang / Hsieh Yi-hsuan) 04/20/2026
Charlie Brown, a senior advisor at the US-based policy organization United Against Nuclear Iran and a retired US Navy officer, pointed out that the Touska's attempt to break the blockade signifies it was carrying 'something valuable to Iran,' making it 'certainly worth the risk.'
'United Against Nuclear Iran' stated in March that the Touska was one of several Iranian container ships still operating during the US-Iran conflict, transporting various goods. These ships belong to a larger fleet that includes tankers transporting Iranian oil to China. The entire fleet is trying to evade US and EU sanctions to conduct trade between Iran and other countries.
Brown said that since the outbreak of the US-Iran war in late February, as many as nine Iranian vessels have been recorded sailing to Zhuhai, China, in addition to the Touska. In March, two IRISL-affiliated cargo ships returned to Iran from Zhuhai, sparking speculation that they might have carried missile fuel and related components supplied by China to Iran.
According to reports, the Iranian company Rahbaran Omid Darya, to which the Touska belongs, used two other container ships under its management in 2025 to transport 1,000 tons of raw materials for Iranian medium-range missile solid propellant from China. Its state-owned parent company, IRISL, is a sanctioned entity by the US for transporting materials for military use.
The report said that the US has not yet revealed what items were found on board the 965-foot (294-meter) long container ship, nor is it clear why the ship attempted to break the blockade.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia Kun, when asked by foreign media about the incident today, said that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is sensitive and complex, and China expresses concern over the US's forced interception of the vessel. However, when pressed by media about what cargo the Touska was carrying, Guo Jia Kun did not answer.
Furthermore, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, this afternoon. Xi Jinping said that China advocates for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage. Mohammed bin Salman stated that Saudi Arabia is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to ensure the safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. (Editors: Chiu Kuo-chiang / Hsieh Yi-hsuan) 04/20/2026