A cargo flight operated by Cargolux Airlines International, headquartered in Luxembourg and partially owned by a Chinese company, diverted from its scheduled route from China to Luxembourg and instead headed towards Iran. This unexpected change in flight path has sparked speculation about the potential aerial bridge between Beijing and Tehran, especially against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East.
According to data from Flightradar24, on June 15th, Cargolux Airlines International’s flight CV9736 took off from Zhengzhou, Henan in China, with Luxembourg as its intended destination. However, flight tracking records show that the aircraft switched towards Iranian airspace after shutting off its transponder over Turkmenistan and disappearing from public radar.
Turkmenistan, the neighboring country of Iran, is considered a close ally of Tehran.
Data from other prominent flight tracking platforms also confirmed the incident.
FlightAware, a global flight tracking platform based in the United States, showed that the aircraft made a stop in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, before heading towards Luxembourg. AirNavRadar also registered the aircraft passing through Turkmenistan’s airspace before disappearing from radar.
Cargolux Airlines International denied that the aircraft entered Iranian airspace and issued a statement addressing the increasing online speculation linking the flight to a clandestine transportation operation between the Chinese Communist Party and Iran.
The company attributed the reports to “erroneous data” provided by flight tracking platforms and stated, “We note the information circulating on social media regarding Luxair’s recent flights allegedly using Iranian airspace is based on data provided by publicly available applications. Cargolux hereby confirms that none of our flights have used Iranian airspace.”
Cargolux Airlines International added, “Our flight tracking system provides real-time data, confirming no flights entered Iranian airspace. Any claims to the contrary are baseless. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and transparency in all operations.”
Further clarification on the flight route and stopover situation of flight CV9736 has been sought from Cargolux Airlines International by Dajiyuan.
In 2014, the Chinese company Henan Civil Aviation Development Investment Group acquired a 35% stake in Cargolux Airlines International. As part of the transaction, Cargolux Airlines International planned to establish Zhengzhou as the second hub after Luxembourg.
Reports suggest close ties between the Chinese Communist Party and the Iranian regime. “Part of this alliance stems from China’s economic reliance on Iranian oil,” said former CIA official and former Executive Director of the Iran Policy Committee Clare Lope in an interview with Dajiyuan Times in 2023.
Some experts believe Beijing is leveraging Iran as an unstable factor in the Middle East to achieve its long-term goal of replacing the United States as the global hegemon.
According to public information on the website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after a state visit to Iran by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2016, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership. In 2024, the trade volume between the two countries reached $13.37 billion.