U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he trusts both China and Russia not to provide military support to Iran, despite warnings from senior American defence officials that Beijing and Moscow may be assisting Tehran in undisclosed ways.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed details of a recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing, saying Xi had assured him that China would not supply weapons to Iran.
“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,” Trump wrote.
Trump also said Russian President Vladimir Putin had given similar assurances, adding that he believed neither country was directly participating in the conflict.
“I believe that Russia and China are not participating in the Iran conflict. If they did, it would be very bad for them — certainly not in their best interests,” he said.
Speaking to reporters later at the White House, Trump reiterated his confidence in both leaders.
“I don’t know that they’re enabling Iran,” he said. “I think I trust them.”
Trump’s remarks come as fighting between the United States and Iran continues following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes launched in February. The attacks killed several senior Iranian officials, including the country’s Supreme Leader, dramatically escalating tensions across the Middle East.
His comments, however, appear to contrast with recent testimony from U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Appearing before a Senate hearing earlier this week, Hegseth suggested that both Russia and China were supporting Iran in ways he declined to publicly disclose.
“There are ways in which both of those countries are, at different levels, enabling some of the things Iran is doing,” Hegseth told lawmakers.
The differing public assessments highlight contrasting messages emerging from the Trump administration over the role of Beijing and Moscow in the conflict.
According to people familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments, Iranian attacks targeting CIA-linked facilities in the Gulf prompted American intelligence agencies to investigate whether Russia had provided Tehran with targeting information or drone-related assistance.
The Kremlin declined to comment on those reports on Thursday.
The United States has previously imposed sanctions on several Chinese and Russian companies and individuals accused of helping Iran procure weapons, military equipment and dual-use technologies despite international restrictions.
While Washington continues to accuse entities in both countries of supporting Iran’s defence sector, Trump’s latest comments suggest he believes the Chinese and Russian governments themselves are honouring commitments made during recent high-level discussions.
The issue is expected to remain on the agenda when Trump hosts Xi in Washington next month, where the two leaders are also expected to discuss trade, artificial intelligence and broader strategic relations.
(with inputs from Reuters)
