Tehran’s growing reliance on Beijing is a consequence of the battering its missile program has had from Israeli strikes and highlights the alignment of Iran and China with Russia and North Korea.

Two Iranian cargo vessels carrying an ingredient for missile propellant will sail from China to Iran in the next few weeks, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing intelligence from security officials in two Western countries.

A missile is launched during an air defence drill in an undisclosed location in Iran. Intelligence officials say chemicals are being shipped to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite arm of the Iranian military © via Reuters Ships carrying missile propellant set to sail from China to Iran,