NY Times: Seized Chinese Weapons Raise Concerns on Iran

Ten Chinese heat-seeking antiaircraft missiles were reportedly among a cache of weapons seized from an Iranian dhow, raising new concerns in the Middle East.

The presence of what were described as sophisticated Chinese antiaircraft missiles off the coast of Yemen could indicate that Iran has escalated its support of Middle East proxies, according to The New York Times.

The antiaircraft missiles were labeled QW-1M, which is believed to have a seeker head that is more resistant to countermeasures.

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“If so, and these missiles were indeed bound for insurgents, this shipment is extremely worrisome, both from a regional security and a global counterterrorism perspective,” observed Matthew Schroeder, an analyst for the Federation of American Scientists in Washington and the Small Arms Survey in Geneva.

Schroeder told the Times that this would be the first time such a missile had left state control.

The seized cargo also included some 316,000 Kalashnikov rifle cartridges, another 63,000 cartridges for PK machine guns or the Dragunov series of sniper rifles, another 12,000 cartridges for 12.7-millimeter DShK machine guns and 95 RPG-7 launchers, the publication reported.