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China denies providing military support to Iran, warns US against tariff hike: ‘Will respond with…’
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Media reports accusing China of providing military support to Iran are purely fabricated.”
China on Wednesday dismissed media reports claiming that the country is providing military assistance to Iran. The response came amid rising tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Media reports accusing China of providing military support to Iran are purely fabricated.”
The statement followed a report by the Financial Times which claimed that Iran had acquired a Chinese satellite, identified as TEE-01B, to target US military bases in the Middle East. China’s statement came within hours of the report being published, rejecting any suggestion of involvement in military backing.
However, the Chinese statement didn't directly this report or any other report.
Warning against potential US tariffs
Alongside the denial, Beijing also cautioned the United States against taking economic action based on these allegations.
Also read | Weapons to Iran: Trump threatens China with 50% tariff, then makes a crude offer
Lin Jian said, "If the US goes ahead with tariff hikes on China on the basis of these accusations, China will respond with countermeasures."
The development comes after the US indicated that it could increase tariffs on countries it believes are supporting Iran in the ongoing conflict in the region.
Trump threatens China with 50% tariff
US President Donald Trump on Sunday re-deployed his legion of threats against Iran after peace talks in Islamabad failed — and went straight at China too. He was responding to reports that US intelligence has found China to be preparing a shipment of weapons to Iran amid a fragile two-week ceasefire that began last Wednesday.
Also read | After Trump's America and Iran both block Strait of Hormuz, how will it impact India? Explained
"I doubt they would do that... but if we catch them doing that, they get a 50% tariff, which is a staggering amount." Trump, who's set to visit China next month, told Fox News.
He's made that threat to all such countries, but China in particular as he was pointedly responding to a question about a CNN report from Saturday. That report said China is preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks. It cited three unnamed sources “familiar with recent US intelligence assessments”.
While responding to that, Trump also offered to sell crude oil to China, both from home and from Venezuela, a country the US quasi-runs after “seizing”, or effectively abducting, President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year.
China plays neutral
Despite US sanctions, Chinese companies have continued to sell to Iran technology that enables it to build weapons. But the Chinese government directly transferring weapons would mark a new level of assistance, CNN noted in its report.
Beijing is reportedly trying to position itself as a continued friend to Iran, whose oil it heavily depends upon, while remaining outwardly neutral.
Sources told CNN that the Chinese could also make the argument that air defense systems are defensive rather than offensive in nature.
This would differentiate their support from that of Russia for Iran. Vladimir Putin's regime has been providing intelligence to Iran that has helped it proactively target US bases and assets in the Middle East/West Asia.
Iran has been aiding Russia in its war on Ukraine through the provision of Shahed drones, and also sells China the bulk of its sanctioned oil.
