On Saturday, President Trump issued a stern warning to China regarding potential consequences if they supply air defense systems to Iran amidst ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
“If China does that, China is gonna have big problems, OK?” Trump stated to reporters gathered outside the White House.
According to U.S. intelligence reports, China is allegedly planning to deliver shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems, known as MANPADs, to Tehran. CNN reported that this transfer is expected to occur through intermediaries in the coming weeks as a means to obscure the transaction.
These missiles, equipped with heat-seeking technology, can target an aircraft’s engine or exhaust. They posed significant challenges during the recent six-week conflict in Iran, nearly hitting an F/A-18 Super Hornet just last week.
An American F-15 fighter jet, shot down by Iran on April 3, was reportedly struck by a “handheld shoulder missile, a heat-seeking missile,” President Trump confirmed.
In response to these allegations, China has refuted the claims. Its embassy in Israel told The Times of Israel that the accusations about arming Tehran with defensive weapons are “entirely fabricated.”
“As a responsible major country, China always abides by international law and its international obligations, and never provides weapons to any party to the conflict,” the Chinese embassy said in a statement.
“China firmly rejects the circulation of speculative, misleading, and false information targeting China.”
Beijing has been accused of aiding the Islamic Republic in intelligence during the Iran war, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claiming that the two countries — along with Russia — are engaged in “close cooperation.”
“Russia and China are our strategy partners, and we have had close cooperation in the past, which is still continues [sic], and that includes military cooperation as well,” Araghchi told MS Now.
Katherine Donlevy contributed to this report.
