President Donald Trump said Monday that he does not believe China or Russia is helping Iran in its war with the United States and Israel, rejecting allegations of outside assistance in a Truth Social post as tensions persist across the Middle East.
Responding to critics who accused Beijing and Moscow of supporting Tehran, the US president said any assistance would be minimal.
“If they are, it’s at a very low level, but I don’t believe they are at all,” President Trump wrote. He argued that both countries had too much to lose by aiding Tehran and that Washington would quickly detect such assistance.
His comments contrast with allegations raised by his own administration. In May, the US State Department sanctioned China-based companies it accused of supplying satellite imagery that enabled Iranian attacks on American forces. Beijing rejected the allegations as unsupported.
Other reports have raised questions about Iran’s access to foreign military technology. Reuters reported in July that Iran expected deliveries of Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defense launchers. In September, Reuters described arrangements through which Tehran used oil revenues to acquire Chinese goods, including military equipment, while bypassing sanctions.
The Financial Times reported last month that Russian specialists had worked with Iran on advanced cruise missile technology. Such reports do not establish the extent of any assistance authorized by the Chinese or Russian governments.
During a September meeting in Washington, President Trump warned Chinese President Xi Jinping against helping Iran. US Ambassador to China David Perdue subsequently said Beijing had assured Washington it would not provide such support.
The war began February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Iranian attacks on Israel and Gulf countries hosting American forces. China has criticized the strikes on Iranian territory, while Russia has warned of wider regional consequences.
President Trump also downplayed a September report alleging Chinese entities provided satellite imagery before a July attack on a US base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers. The report did not allege that Beijing itself directed the assistance.