The Chinese Foreign Ministry denied on Monday accusations that Chinese entities provided assistance to Iran, asserting that these claims are unfounded and emphasizing Beijing's opposition to what it described as "unfounded doubts and accusations."
The Chinese stance came in response to media reports that Iran obtained satellite images of a military base in Jordan from Chinese sources prior to an attack in July that resulted in the death of three American soldiers. The reports cited U.S. officials stating that the images may have helped in accurately identifying attack targets.
The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that the country "strongly opposes" evidence-free accusations, confirming that China consistently and rigorously adheres to its international commitments. The American reports did not directly accuse the Chinese government, nor did they clearly specify the identity of the Chinese entities believed to have provided the images. Reuters was unable to independently verify these claims.
These developments come amid growing controversy regarding the nature of relations between Beijing and Tehran, as China maintains a broad economic and strategic partnership with Iran, amidst increasing U.S. pressure on countries and companies that deal with it.
In this context, U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the importance of the report regarding the alleged Chinese role, pointing out that the United States and China engage in mutual espionage and surveillance, while not clarifying whether he would raise the issue during his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.
The Chinese denial arises at a time when relations between Washington and Beijing are increasingly tense over various issues, with China's relationships with Iran being one of the most sensitive, especially with ongoing U.S. sanctions and pressures aimed at limiting Tehran's access to technology and external resources.