President Donald Trump warned China it would face “big problems” if it supplies air defense systems to Tehran as Iran remains locked in a conflict with the United States and Israel.
“If China does that, China is gonna have big problems, OK?” Trump told reporters Saturday.
The warning comes as U.S. intelligence assessments indicate China may be preparing to supply, or already could have moved to supply, shoulder-fired air defense systems to Iran, according to multiple news outlets reporting on intelligence assessments, though officials caution the information is not definitive and there is no evidence the weapons have been used against U.S. or Israeli forces.
Trump’s warning also comes ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the two leaders expected to hold a summit in Beijing in May after it was postponed due to the ongoing conflict. The talks are likely to cover a range of issues, including trade tensions, Taiwan and the war involving Iran, placing additional pressure on U.S.-China relations as concerns mount over Beijing’s potential role in the conflict.
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The potential transfer of Chinese-supplied air defenses could increase risks to U.S. aircraft operating in the region, particularly low-flying missions already vulnerable to shoulder-fired missiles.
China also has played a role in recent ceasefire efforts, pressing Iran to engage in talks with the United States and Israel through diplomatic outreach and coordination with regional partners, even as it denies providing military support to Tehran.
Officials familiar with the intelligence say the systems in question include man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, which are capable of targeting low-flying aircraft and have already posed a threat to U.S. assets in the region during the conflict.
MANPADS are shoulder-fired, heat-seeking missiles designed to target low-flying aircraft. U.S. officials believe a similar type of weapon was likely used to bring down an American F-15E fighter jet over Iran earlier in April, marking the first loss of a manned U.S. aircraft in Iran in the conflict.
Trump said at the time the jet was hit by a “shoulder-fired missile.”
It remains unclear whether any such systems have been transferred or are currently inside Iran, but the possibility has raised concerns among U.S. officials that additional air defenses could complicate future operations and increase risks to American pilots.
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China has denied the reports, with its embassy in Washington saying it “never provides weapons to any party to the conflict” and calling the allegations untrue.
The reports come amid heightened tensions over China’s growing alignment with Iran, with U.S. officials increasingly warning that Beijing could play a more direct role in supporting Tehran as the conflict continues.
China has long played a role in supporting Iran’s military capabilities, supplying components used in ballistic missiles and drones as well as surveillance and targeting technologies, according to defense analysts. In recent years, Iran also has explored acquiring more advanced Chinese systems, including anti-ship missiles and air defense platforms, as it seeks to rebuild capabilities damaged in previous strikes.
Separate from the reports on potential air defense transfers, investigations using satellite imagery and maritime tracking data have identified Iranian vessels departing Chinese ports carrying cargo believed to include sodium perchlorate, a key ingredient in ballistic missile fuel, according to a Washington Post report. Other reporting citing Western intelligence and shipping data indicates multiple such shipments have reached Iran during the conflict, raising concerns Beijing may be helping Tehran replenish missile capabilities even as it publicly calls for de-escalation.
The Iranian mission to the United Nations could not immediately be reached for comment.
