US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned China it would face “big problems” if it ships weapons to Iran, amid rising concerns that the fragile two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran may not hold.
Speaking to reporters before departing the White House for Miami, Trump said, “If China does that, China can have big problems,” but did not provide further details, Reuters reported.
The warning followed a CNN report citing US intelligence assessments that suggest Iran could receive new Chinese air defence systems within the coming weeks. According to the report, there are indications Beijing may be using third countries to route the shipments and conceal their origin.
The development comes despite a temporary ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, with both sides still maintaining a heavy military presence in and around the region. US warships and forces remain deployed near Iran, while Tehran is believed to be seeking to quickly rebuild air defence capabilities damaged in recent US and Israeli strikes.
China strongly rejected the allegations. In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing had “never provided weapons to any party to the conflict” and urged the US to avoid “baseless allegations” and “sensationalism.”
Any Chinese military assistance to Iran would likely be viewed by Washington as a major escalation and could cast a shadow over Trump’s expected visit to China next month for talks with President Xi Jinping.
For Iran, which remains under heavy Western sanctions, China and Russia continue to be its most important strategic and military partners, providing critical diplomatic and economic backing.
The CNN report said the suspected weapons package could include shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems, or MANPADS, which Iran may use to counter low-flying US aircraft. US officials believe similar systems may already have been used in recent clashes, including incidents involving US fighter jets and helicopters earlier this month.
Iran has not publicly disclosed details, though the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has credited a “new, advanced defence system” for recent successful strikes on US aircraft.
