Chinese arms flights to Iran claims false, based on misread flight data – HUM News

WEB DESK: Recently, social media was abuzz with news that China has been allegedly delivering weapons to Iran via cargo planes amidst the Iran-Israel war that began on June 12. France 24 did a fact-check to prove information as false.

This is how it was broken down:

The claims: Social media users, particularly on X (Twitter), shared screenshots from flight tracking website Flightradar24 claiming to show Chinese cargo planes landing in Iran. A viral video from “Prime Scope” (a dubious media outlet) and posts by accounts like SilencedSirs garnered millions of views, alleging China was secretly providing military aid to Iran.

Iran-Israel war: countries continue to evacuate citizens

The Reality: France 24’s investigation revealed these claims are false:

1. Misinterpreted Flight Data: The Flightradar24 screenshots showing planes over Iran actually display “estimated” flight paths, not real trajectories. When flights lose tracking signals, the system shows black dotted lines indicating estimated positions for up to 240 minutes.
2. No Iranian Flights: Cargolux, the Luxembourg-based cargo airline at the center of these claims, explicitly denied any flights entering Iranian airspace. The company stated their real-time tracking confirms no aircraft entered Iran.
3. Routine Refueling Stops: The flights in question (CLX9735, CLX9736, CLX9737) were making routine stops in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan for refueling on their way from China to Luxembourg – a standard practice for long-haul cargo flights.
4. Fake Video Evidence: The flight “MNB1925” shown in the viral video belongs to Turkish airline MNG Airlines, not a Chinese carrier, and never flew over Iran.

These false claims emerged as China publicly condemned Israeli attacks on Iran, with President Xi Jinping calling for respect of national sovereignty. While China is indeed Iran’s largest trading partner (importing 90% of Iranian crude oil), there’s no evidence of recent military supply flights. The European Aviation Safety Agency has recommended airlines avoid Iranian airspace during the current conflict.