US President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed a report claiming that China-linked entities provided Iran with satellite imagery of a US Air Force base in Jordan ahead of Tehran's July attack that killed three American troops. Trump maintained that China conducts surveillance operations similar to those carried out by the United States.
When asked whether he would discuss the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their expected September 24 meeting, Trump did not give a direct response. “They basically do what we do. When they say China spies on us, I say you're right and we spy on them too,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
WHAT DID WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORT?
Trump's remarks followed a report by The Wall Street Journal that Chinese entities had supplied Iran with high-resolution satellite imagery of Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base before and after Tehran's July 17 ballistic missile strike, which killed three US service members.
Citing US officials familiar with the issue, the newspaper reported that Washington had connected the satellite imagery to the attack and viewed it as the strongest evidence so far that Chinese assistance to Iran during the conflict may have contributed to the deaths of American troops. However, the officials did not accuse China of directly taking part in the strike.
According to sources cited by the Journal, senior US officials discussed the matter with their Chinese counterparts. Beijing rejected the allegation and asked Washington to provide evidence supporting its claims.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told the newspaper that cooperation between China and Iran complied with international law and accused unnamed critics of “maliciously linking and smearing other countries”.
The spokesperson did not directly address the specific claim that Chinese entities had supplied satellite imagery connected to the July 17 attack, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Beijing has repeatedly denied claims that Chinese companies provided Iran with satellite imagery that could help Tehran target US forces, the newspaper reported, citing officials.
Trump's remarks appeared to align with the administration's recent attempts to reduce tensions with Beijing despite US concerns about China's growing relationship with Tehran.
Trump also again described his relationship with Xi as a positive one. “I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well,” Trump said while returning to the United States following a weekend visit to Ireland.
Trump and Xi are expected to hold talks in the US on September 24, although Beijing has yet to officially confirm the meeting.
3 TROOPS KILLED IN IRAN STRIKE ON US BASE IN JORDAN
The Iranian ballistic missile attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on July 17 killed three US military personnel and injured four others.
Those killed were First Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Pvt Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Carrollton, Texas; and Sgt Angel S Rampersad, 28, from Ozone Park, New York.
The July 17 strike was one of three missile attacks on the base within a 24-hour period. According to US officials cited by the Journal, Iranian missiles hit a residential area where American troops were sleeping, while Tehran also targeted manned and unmanned aircraft stationed at the base.
They became the first US military personnel to be killed in the Iran war since a 60-day ceasefire was agreed in April. Their deaths represented a significant escalation in the West Asia conflict and came after Washington and Tehran suspended an interim ceasefire agreement in June.
US FLAGGED CONCERNS OVER CHINESE SATELLITE SUPPORT
Indications that Iran was using Chinese technology had emerged months before the deadly attack. The Financial Times reported in April that Iran had been using a Chinese-built satellite launched into orbit for surveillance purposes. The satellite was reportedly purchased by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force from Earth Eye Co. in late 2024.
The Trump administration had also raised concerns about Chinese satellite assistance to Iran before the July strike.
In May, Washington imposed sanctions on three China-based satellite companies, accusing them of supplying imagery that could support Iranian military operations and endanger US personnel and those of its partners. The sanctions came amid American allegations that Chinese companies were assisting Tehran in acquiring satellite imagery that could potentially be used against US forces. Beijing denied those claims.
Iran again attacked Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on September 10, with the latest strike reportedly causing damage to several US aircraft. Trump, however, denied that any American planes had been damaged.
