China has dismissed as groundless, reports alleging that Chinese entities provided Iran with satellite images of a US military base in Jordan before and after an Iranian missile attack that killed three American soldiers.
The report, published by the Wall Street Journal over the weekend, concerned Iran’s July 17 missile strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, where US troops were stationed.
The American officials cited in the report did not identify the Chinese entities allegedly involved and did not directly accuse the Chinese government of supplying the imagery to Tehran.
Responding to the report on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected the allegations, calling for evidence to support the claims.
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“We firmly oppose groundless suspicion and accusations without evidence,” Guo told reporters during a regular press briefing.
US President Donald Trump also played down the report, as tensions over China’s relationship with Iran could become a sensitive issue ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to the White House on September 24.
“You know, when they say that China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.
“That’s what we do. They basically do what we do,” he added.
The Wall Street Journal had reported that Chinese officials were asked by US officials to provide evidence concerning the alleged transfer of satellite imagery but declined to acknowledge that Chinese companies supplied Tehran with images of the military facility.
The development comes after Trump warned Beijing against selling weapons to Iran. In May, the United States also imposed sanctions on three China-based satellite companies over their alleged role in supporting Iran’s military operations.
China remains one of Iran’s major economic partners, with Beijing purchasing a significant portion of Iran’s oil exports, while also maintaining strong diplomatic ties with Tehran.
Despite the latest controversy, Trump described his relationship with Xi as relatively stable, saying, “he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well.”
Asked whether he would permit Chinese-made vehicles to be sold in the United States, Trump said he had prevented such sales, attributing the restriction to tariffs.
“I haven’t. I’m the one that kept them out. The tariffs kept them out,” he said.
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