US President Donald Trump has said it would be “very bad” for China and Russia if they were found to be helping Iran in its war with the US and Israel, even as he said he trusts both countries’ leaders when they say they are not supplying weapons to Iran.
Event Context
Reports point to possible Russia, China assistance to Iran
As per The Hill, CNN reported in March, cited unnamed US officials saying Russia is providing Iran with satellite imagery to track American troop movements. Reuters also reported this week that Iranian strikes on CIA facilities in the Gulf led US intelligence analysts to look into whether Russia gave Iran targeting information or drone technology.
Team Analysis
Trump’s statement came on Truth Social after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that Russia and China are “enabling Iran.” Trump wrote, “President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran- And that statement included Chinese Companies.” He added, “Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also. Likewise, President Putin … told me that he would not sell Weapons to Iran.”
Trump also said, “He understands that I do not sell Weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO Countries. They pay full price, and how those Weapons are distributed, I have no idea.”
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Trump warned that if China and Russia were found to be helping Iran, it would not work out well for them. He wrote, “Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them- Certainly not in their best interests. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
As per The Hill, Hegseth had earlier told lawmakers that Russia and China, “at different levels,” are “enabling what Iran is doing.” Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said such information is classified, adding, “I’d rather not opine on specifics because that would divulge what we know, and I never want the adversary to know what I know, I just want to know it.”
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Iran may also have used Chinese missiles and long-range radar during the war, as per sources who spoke to NBC News, with experts also saying Chinese satellites have helped Iran with targeting data.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, pushed back when asked if he had raised Russia’s alleged intelligence-sharing with Iran during his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
He asked twice, “Who says they are?” and said Hegseth had not been specific in his claims. Rubio added, “Let’s imagine that were true. I certainly wouldn’t discuss it in the press,” and said, “Nothing that Iran is doing- nothing that anyone’s doing to help Iran is in any way increasing their ability to target Americans,” per The Hill.
