Cargolux has denied that the aircraft entered Iranian airspace.
A cargo flight operated by Cargolux, a Luxembourg-based airline partially owned by a Chinese company, appeared to divert from its scheduled route from China to Luxembourg and instead head toward Iran, prompting speculation about a possible air bridge between Beijing and Tehran amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Flight CV9736, operated by Cargolux Airlines International, departed Zhengzhou, China, on June 15 with Luxembourg as its stated destination, according to data from Flightradar24. However, flight-tracking records indicate that the aircraft veered sharply toward Iranian airspace before disappearing from public radar after switching off its transponder over Turkmenistan, a country that borders Iran and is considered a close ally of Tehran.
Additional data from FlightAware suggests the aircraft made a stop in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, before proceeding to Luxembourg. AirNavRadar also recorded the aircraft passing through Turkmenistan’s airspace before disappearing from radar.
Cargolux has denied that the aircraft entered Iranian airspace, issuing a statement in response to growing online speculation that the flight was part of a covert delivery operation involving China and Iran.
Blaming the reports on “incorrect data” from public flight-tracking platforms, the company said: “We are aware of the recent information/statements circulating on social media regarding recent Cargolux flights alleged to be using Iranian airspace, based on the data received on a publicly available app. Cargolux would like to categorically state that none of its flights utilize Iranian airspace.”
“Our flight tracking systems provide real-time data, which confirms that no flight entered Iranian airspace,” Cargolux added. “Any claims to the contrary are completely unfounded. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and transparency in all our operations.”
The Epoch Times has reached out to Cargolux for further clarification regarding the route and stopovers of flight CV9736.
Chinese firm Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Co. Ltd (HNCA) took a 35 percent stake in Cargolux in 2014. As part of the deal, Cargolux established Zhengzhou as its second hub after Luxembourg.
Meanwhile, there have been numerous reports of close alignment between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Iranian regime. Some analysts have warned of a China–Iran–Russia axis challenging U.S interests.
“Part of that alignment has to do with China’s economic dependence on Iranian oil. But China is also part of the anti-West axis that includes Iran as well as Putin’s Russia,” Clare Lopez, a former career CIA officer and former executive director of the Iran Policy Committee, told The Epoch Times in a 2023 interview.
By Tom Ozimek
