Doubling down on his claims of the US completely destroying Tehran’s military capabilities, President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) warned China over shipping weapons to Iran and said Beijing will only create problems for itself if it decides to take such a step. His remarks came after a US media report claiming China might supply weapons to Iran while the Islamic Republic holds talks with the US in Pakistan capital of Islamabad.
“If China does that, China is going to have big problems, okay?” the 79-year-old American president told reporters outside the White House in Washington.ย ย
Earlier on Saturday, a report by CNN claimed China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran likely in the next few weeks. Citing intelligence assessments and quoting a couple of sources, the report China is working to send the shipments “through third countries to mask their true origin”.
The report said China will likely send shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems, also called ‘MANPADs’, which are expected to be a threat for low-flying US military aircraft. Iran is also using the ceasefire opportunity “replenish certain weapons systems with the help of key foreign partners”, the CNN report stated.ย
China denies report
Denying the CNN report and calling it ‘untrue’, China said it has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict. It further said that China has consistently fulfiled its international obligations and will continue to do so.
“We urge the U.S. side to refrain from making baseless allegations, maliciously drawing connections, and engaging in sensationalism; we hope that relevant parties will do more to help de-escalate tensions,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told the CNN.
US-Iran talks fail
Coming to the US-Iran talks in Pakistan, the negotiations have failed, US Vice President JD Vance said in an early morning media briefing in Islamabad on Sunday. Vance said the US has left a “very simple proposal” to Iran, which is its “final and best” offer. He said the US needs affirmative commitment that Iran will not seek nuclear weapon, or tools that help them achieve one fast.
“Their nuclear program such as it is, the enrichment facilities that they had before have been destroyed. But the simple question is – do we see a fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon, not just now or not just two years from now but for the long term? We haven’t seen that now, we hope that we will,” he said.
ALSO READ – ‘Gave best offer to Iran, no breakthrough yet’: JD Vance after three rounds of US-Iran talks