Illustrative image. (Tasnim News Agency)
Chinese companies have been discussing arms sales with Iran, plotting to send the weapons through other countries to mask the origins of the military aid, The New York Times reported on May 13, citing United States officials.
According to the report, U.S. has gathered intelligence that Chinese companies and Iranian officials have discussed the arms transfers. It is not clear how many, if any, arms have been shipped or to what degree the Chinese government has approved the sales.
Officials briefed on the intelligence have reached different conclusions on whether the arms have already been sent to the third countries.
Shortly after the start of the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, CNN reported, citing U.S. intelligence assessments, that China is preparing to deliver weapons, specifically man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), to the Islamic Republic in a matter of weeks.
A report that came out right after from The New York Times also said that China was planning to supply Iran with MANPADS.
The officials who spoke more recently with the American daily said that they do not believe that the Chinese government has formally approved the efforts to support Iran. Still, they noted that the talks between Chinese companies and Iran are unlikely to have occurred without the knowledge of the government.
They also said that at least one of the third countries was in Africa. It is not clear whether any shipment had reached that country.
Soon after the initial reports of MANPADS delivery came out last month, President Donald Trump said that the military intercepted a ship carrying a “gift” to the Islamic Republic from China.
The ship had “a gift from China” which “wasn’t very nice,” Trump told CNBC on April 21. “I was a little surprised,” he added, saying that he thought he had an “understanding” with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Just a few days later, Trump said that the U.S. knows where Iran has deployed new military equipment during the ongoing ceasefire, and will destroy it quickly should war resume.
The latest report came as Trump landed in China on an official visit. Speaking to reporters a day earlier, he said that he planned to have a “long talk” with Xi about the conflict in the Middle East and added that the Chinese leader had been “relatively good” on Iran.
It is very possible that the report is meant to pressure China ahead of talks with Trump. The U.S. has been attempting to get the country to pressure Iran since even before the start of the war.
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