U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he does not believe China or Russia are supplying weapons to Iran, citing assurances he said he received from the leaders of both countries, UNN reports citing CNN.
"President Xi told me at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, that under no circumstances would he provide or sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — and that statement applied to Chinese companies," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Given our relationship, I take him at his word, and besides, I am doing him a very big favor," Trump added.
Trump also said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow would not sell weapons to Iran.
"Therefore, in my opinion, the two major countries that people often talk about in the context of Iran are not involved," Trump wrote. "If they did, it would be very bad for them — definitely not in their interests."
US imposes sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong companies over arms supplies to Iran11.06.26, 01:57
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Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Senate hearing that China and Russia are "at various levels" facilitating some of Iran's activities during the war.
"[T]here are many ways we deter that… and the depth and scope of that must remain classified," Hegseth said before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
"But there are ways in which both of these countries… at various levels facilitate some of the things Iran does," he said.