MV Jairan, the second of two Iranian cargo vessels which is believed to have loaded sodium perchlorate in China, was on Saturday morning passing through the Straits of Malacca en route to Bandar Abbas. Sodium perchlorate is the primary feedstock for making ammonium perchlorate, used by Iranian solid-fueled ballistic missiles.
The vessel, which is owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and is subject to secondary US Treasury sanctions, is expected to dock in Bandar Abbas well before its scheduled arrival time on March 26, and is currently traveling with its Automatic Identification System switched on.
The 16,694 ton MV Jairan is believed to…