Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 13: US President Donald Trump has played down reports that Russia and China are providing significant assistance to Iran, arguing that both countries have too much to lose by becoming deeply involved in the conflict.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump questioned claims that Moscow and Beijing were helping Tehran and maintained that any assistance being provided would be limited. He also asserted that the United States would quickly detect any such support.
Washington would “know about it, and know about it very fast” if Russia or China were assisting Iran, Trump said, expressing confidence in US intelligence capabilities.
The remarks come amid growing scrutiny of the extent of Russia’s and China’s involvement in the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Reports have raised concerns that Tehran could be receiving intelligence, military-related equipment and other forms of assistance from the two countries, although the nature and extent of such support remain disputed.
Reports published earlier this year alleged that Russia had shared intelligence that could help Iran identify and target US military assets in the Middle East. The Associated Press reported in March, citing US intelligence sources, that Moscow had provided information that could assist Tehran in targeting American forces. Trump subsequently downplayed the significance of the alleged assistance, saying that even if Iran had received such information, it had not helped the country significantly.
There have also been allegations of Russian satellite imagery being used to help Iran track US military installations in the Gulf region. In August, Trump questioned claims that Moscow had supplied such imagery, describing any assistance as having little impact on the outcome of the conflict. Russia has denied providing intelligence on American military targets.
China has faced separate allegations of providing assistance to Tehran. Reports have suggested that Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence systems could be supplied to Iran through Pakistan, a claim Beijing has rejected. Trump has said Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him that China would not participate in the conflict by supplying weapons to Iran.
Following talks between Trump and Xi in Washington in September, US Ambassador to China David Perdue said the American president had made clear that any direct or indirect Chinese assistance to Iran, including intelligence, military equipment or components, was unacceptable. Perdue also said Beijing had given Washington assurances that it would not provide such support.
The allegations have raised concerns in Washington that assistance from major US rivals could complicate American military operations and enable Iran to sustain its capabilities. However, Trump has continued to publicly downplay the reported impact of any outside support, maintaining that the United States would rapidly identify any significant involvement by Moscow or Beijing.
Neither the claims of extensive assistance nor the precise scale of any support have been independently established in the information available. Trump's latest remarks therefore reflect his assessment of the reports rather than independent confirmation that Russia and China are providing no assistance to Iran.