The President of the United States stated that Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin assured him that they would not sell weapons to Tehran and warned that doing so would have serious consequences for both countries
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Friday that Russia and China should not supply weapons to Iran and assured that, if they do, they would face consequences that "would be very detrimental" to both countries. His statements come amid a new military escalation between Washington and Tehran, following another day of cross-attacks in the Middle East.
Through a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed conversations held with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, to whom he attributed the commitment not to transfer arms to the Iranian regime.
Trump stated that Xi Jinping and Putin promised him not to arm Iran
The president maintained that during his recent meeting in Beijing, Xi Jinping assured him that China will not sell weapons to Iran, neither directly nor through Chinese companies.
"President Xi told me that under no circumstances would he deliver or sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Considering our relationship, I believe him," Trump wrote.
Trump assured that Xi Jinping and Putin promised him not to arm Iran
In the same vein, he stated that Vladimir Putin also conveyed to him that Russia has no intention of supplying weapons to the Iranian regime, despite the close relationship between the two countries.
"President Putin told me he would not sell weapons to Iran. He understands that I do not sell weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO countries, which are the ones that pay for them," he noted.
Trump concluded that if either of those powers changed their stance, "it would be very detrimental to them" and it would not be in their interest to do so.
New escalation between the United States and Iran
The statements from the U.S. president came after another day of military confrontations between the two countries.
During the early morning, Iran launched new attacks against U.S. military facilities located in Bahrain and Jordan, in response to a new air offensive carried out by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
According to Washington, the bombings targeted command centers, drone depots, communication systems, coastal surveillance posts, and infrastructure used by Iranian forces.
Iran questioned Trump's warnings
In parallel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the U.S. president's statements regarding the possibility of using Iranian assets to compensate for damages caused by attacks on commercial vessels.
The official described that possibility as "an incendiary precedent", considering that it would involve appropriating sovereign goods to cover potential future claims.
The UN warned about thousands of sailors trapped in the Strait of Hormuz
As fighting continues, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The agency estimated that around 6,000 sailors remain trapped in the area due to the blockade of navigation and called on the involved states to ensure their protection, facilitate evacuations, and secure access to consular assistance and basic supplies.
The UN also warned that there are dozens of vessels whose crews have been abandoned at sea since the beginning of the current military escalation, further exacerbating the crisis in one of the world's most important maritime routes.
