Following another round of ramped-up strikes against Iran for the 13th consecutive night, President Donald Trump warned China and Russia Friday not to assist Iran as he is reportedly weighing options to escalate strikes.
Seemingly addressing reports that China and Russia have been assisting Iran with drones, weapons and satellites, Trump says that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin promised they would not sell weapons to the Islamic Republic, reiterating their commitment to the president.
“President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran – and that statement included Chinese Companies. Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also. Likewise, President Putin, despite the horrible war going on in Ukraine (The relationship remains, as it does with President Zelenskyy), told me that he would not sell Weapons to Iran. He understands that I do not sell weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO countries. They pay full price, and how those weapons are distributed, I have no idea,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The president appears to give China and Iran the benefit of the doubt while warning them not to meddle in the war.
“Therefore, two major countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them – certainly not in their best interests,” Trump concluded.
Despite the warning, the president did not indicate how the countries could be punished if they were found to be assisting Iran.
The president’s post comes as he is reportedly weighing options to conduct full-scale strikes against the Islamic Republic after it doesn’t appear to be letting up its attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Thursday, the president announced that Iran will pay for any damages done to any ships transiting the strait, to be “paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls. These damages may be very substantial but, nevertheless, this is the fair and equitable thing to do.”
The president also sent a warning to Iran’s terror proxy group, the Houthis in Yemen, telling them to stop shooting at ships transiting the Red Sea after “shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships” on Wednesday. He says if they continue, he will punish Iran and the Houthis.
The latest warnings come as Trump once again threatens to target Iran’s bridges and power plants, including strikes on Iran’s capital, Tehran.
“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by missile, rocket, drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a $1.15 trillion defense spending bill. The Pentagon claims the conflict with Iran has cost taxpayers $37.5 billion thus far.