Washington says Trump warned Beijing against direct or indirect support for Iran, while Iranian officials say China will maintain its ties with Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Chinese President Xi Jinping during their Washington discussions that Chinese support for Iran would be unacceptable, according to the U.S. ambassador to China.
David Perdue said Friday that Trump reiterated his warning during the leaders’ talks and that Washington received assurances from Beijing that China was not supporting Iran.
The development adds another major geopolitical issue to the Trump–Xi relationship, which has recently focused heavily on trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan.
Washington’s warning
Perdue said Trump told Xi that direct or indirect Chinese support for Iran was “totally unacceptable.”
The warning comes as Washington remains engaged in a prolonged conflict with Iran and as the United States has raised concerns about Iranian access to military equipment, technology and financial resources.
Reuters reported that China has been linked to Iranian efforts to obtain military equipment and maintain oil sales despite sanctions.
Beijing’s assurances
According to Perdue, Chinese officials assured Washington that China was not supporting Iran.
However, that account is disputed by an Iranian official who told Reuters that Chinese officials had assured Tehran that Beijing would not limit its economic, political or military ties with Iran because of pressure from Trump.
That creates a significant difference between the messages coming from Washington and Tehran.
China itself has not publicly provided a detailed explanation of its position on the reported exchange.
Why China matters to Iran
China is Iran’s biggest trading partner and a major buyer of Iranian oil.
Reuters has previously reported that Iranian oil sales have continued through arrangements designed to bypass sanctions, with China playing an important role in Iran’s external trade.
The news also follows reporting that Iran was expected to receive Chinese-made air-defense launchers.
For Washington, preventing Iran from strengthening its military and economic position is a major concern.
For Beijing, maintaining its relationship with Tehran provides access to energy and strengthens its position in a strategically important region.
What happens next?
Trump later confirmed that Iran was discussed during his talks with Xi but did not provide details.
The next question is whether Beijing’s reported assurances will lead to any concrete changes.
If Chinese support for Iran decreases, it could affect Tehran’s access to trade, technology and military equipment.
If China continues expanding its relationship with Iran, Washington and Beijing could face another major point of disagreement just as they attempt to stabilize their broader relationship.
The Trump–Xi meeting therefore produced another important question beyond tariffs and artificial intelligence: how far will China go in maintaining its relationship with Iran while Washington applies pressure?
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