Washington: US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Russia and China over the ongoing Iran conflict, saying he does not believe either country is aiding Tehran militarily — though he cautioned there would be serious consequences if they did.
Speaking first in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, and later repeating the same message to reporters at the White House, Trump said he was confident neither Moscow nor Beijing would side with Iran in the confrontation.
Trump referred to his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, claiming that Xi had assured him China would not supply weapons to Iran under any circumstances. According to Trump, this alleged commitment extends beyond the Chinese government to Chinese companies as well, meaning no Chinese firm would be permitted to sell arms to Iran.
Trump added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had, according to him, given a comparable assurance that Russia would not sell weapons to Iran. The US president said that, as things stand, neither Russia nor China is part of the conflict, and he hopes both nations continue to stay out of it. As with the claim about Xi, there has been no independent confirmation from Moscow.
In his post, Trump issued a stern warning, saying it would be "very bad" for Russia and China if they became involved in the conflict, adding that doing so would not serve either country's interests. Speaking to journalists at the White House afterwards, he reiterated the point, saying he did not believe they were helping Iran and that he personally trusted both Xi Jinping and Putin.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have persisted for several months, escalating sharply after the United States and Israel carried out air strikes on Iran in February. Those strikes reportedly killed several senior Iranian military and government officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Relations between the two countries have remained strained ever since.
Trump's remarks come just days after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that Russia and China were involved in the conflict in some capacity, though Hegseth did not publicly provide evidence to support the claim. Trump's account now stands in direct contrast to his own defence secretary's assessment, with the president insisting — without offering corroborating evidence himself — that he trusts both foreign leaders and does not believe either country is offering Iran military assistance.