WSJ: US special forces seize military cargo on vessel from China to Iran

US special operations forces intercepted a vessel travelling from China to Iran in the Indian Ocean last month, seizing military-related cargo before allowing the ship to continue its journey, according to US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The confiscated cargo included components that could have been used in the production of conventional weapons by Iran. US forces destroyed the material following the operation. The interception took place several hundred miles off the coast of Sri Lanka.

The operation comes amid growing US concerns over China’s international ambitions. Washington has accused Beijing of attempting to establish an alternative global order, in partnership with nations described as “anti-democratic,” including Russia and North Korea.

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission recently released its annual report, offering a range of recommendations to counter China’s expanding influence.

By Aghakazim Guliyev