Trump Says He Trusts Xi and Putin’s Assurances They Will Not Arm Iran Despite Intelligence Reports
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he continues to trust the commitments made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin that neither country will supply weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite intelligence reports suggesting Tehran has been receiving support from both Moscow and Beijing.
Speaking about his recent diplomatic contacts, Trump said President Xi personally assured him during a meeting in Beijing that China would not provide or sell weapons to Iran under any circumstances
“During our recent meeting in Beijing, President Xi told me that under no circumstances would he provide or sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Given our relations, I believe him and, moreover, I am personally doing a great deal of good for him,” Trump said.
Trump also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had given him a similar assurance, despite Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
“President Putin, despite the terrible war going on in Ukraine, told me he would not sell weapons to Iran,” Trump stated.
The U.S. president went on to defend his administration’s military assistance policy toward Ukraine, arguing that Washington is supplying weapons to NATO allies rather than directly to Kyiv.
“He understands that I am not selling weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO member countries. They pay a high price and I have no idea how these weapons are then distributed,” Trump added.
Trump’s remarks come amid persistent intelligence assessments and media reports alleging that Iran has continued to receive varying forms of military, technological, and logistical support from both Russia and China. His comments suggest he places greater weight on the personal assurances he says he received from Xi and Putin than on those intelligence reports.
The statements are likely to draw scrutiny from U.S. intelligence officials and foreign policy analysts, particularly as tensions in the Middle East remain elevated and concerns continue over Iran’s military capabilities and its relationships with Moscow and Beijing.