President Donald Trump stated Friday that he does not believe China or Russia are currently involved in the conflict with Iran, but issued a stern warning that any such participation would be detrimental to their interests.
Trump recalled a previous meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which he stated Xi pledged not to sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran, a commitment that extended to Chinese companies. Similarly, Trump indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had also assured him of no arms sales to Iran.
The U.S. President reiterated his belief that both Russia and China are not engaged in the current hostilities. He posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that "If they did, it would be very bad for them — Certainly not in their best interests."
The United States and Iran have been engaged in conflict since February, following U.S. and Israeli strikes that resulted in the deaths of senior Iranian officials, including the country's supreme leader. Recent reports from U.S. intelligence sources suggest an investigation into potential Russian assistance to Iran regarding targeting information or drone technology after Iranian strikes on CIA targets in the Gulf.
The Kremlin has declined to comment on these reports. The United States has previously imposed sanctions on Russian and Chinese individuals and entities for facilitating Iran's acquisition of weapons.
