Illustrative image. (U.S. Central Command)
President Donald Trump said on April 21 that the United States military intercepted a ship carrying a “gift” to Iran from China.
The ship had “a gift from China” which “wasn’t very nice,” Trump told CNBC. “I was a little surprised,” he added, saying that he thought he had an “understanding” with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Trump was clearly referring to the cargo ship TOUSKA which was seized by the U.S. military on April 19 in line with the blockade imposed on Iranian ports as a response to the Islamic Republic’s restrictions on navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire at the time, with its spokesman saying that the seized vessel was en route from China. Later, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that the Islamic Republic launched drone strikes against several U.S. warships in the Arabian Sea.
Right after the two-week ceasefire came into effect on April 8, Trump warned that imports from countries supplying Iran with military weapons will face immediate 50 percent tariffs with no exemptions.
On April 11, CNN reported, citing U.S. intelligence assessments, that China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within weeks.
Two sources with knowledge on the assessment told the network that the systems China is preparing to transfer to Iran are man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). Nevertheless, the sources noted Chinese efforts to route the shipments through third countries to mask their true origin.
Later, Trump announced that Xi had assured him that there would be no Chinese weapons deliveries to the Islamic Republic.
Trump’s latest remarks may be a hint that the TOUSKA was carrying weapons from China to Iran. This would explain why the U.S. military was so eager to seize the ship.
The remarks came just a day before the end of the ceasefire. Efforts to hold a second round of American-Iranian talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, are underway. Trump has said that he is not in favor of extending the ceasefire, but this remains more likely than a full-on agreement.
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mañana les vamos a abrir su estrecho de ortoz a los iranies muy grande. the iranians will need lots of extra strength anusol, lidocaine, witch hazel, nitroglycerin and super absorbent megamax depends.
my bung hoe filed w hillbilly jizz yesterday because imm patriot americunt
i reject trump. he is just a puppet to be blamed when the united states and world economies fall. the despotic regime reacts in sociopathic purpose to serve the very few who pull the strings. drought may destroy its ability to feed its population. its industries are so centralized it can not respond from the influence of its ruling class. greed is deadly
the mafia based ruling order cars nothing for any population. the prized israel project is also expendable. the ukraine war was the kick off, oil refineries and established supply chains are magically catching on fire. russia and china are finding new prosperity regardless of empire.
complete dystopia is near
trump is a notorious liar so his words and hints mean nothing.
true, if it’s from dumps bloated epstein client pie hole it’s useless…