‘That was surprising…’: Trump says he’d be disappointed if China sold weapons to Iran

US-Iran war: US President Donald Trump said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had promised that Beijing would not partake in the Iran war, and hence reports about China selling weapons to Tehran was very surprising. He also indicated that the leaders were scheduled to meet in September.

“That was surprising. I mean, things like that happen, but that would be surprising,” said Trump. ““He told me very strongly he wouldn’t partake, but he knows I’d be quite disappointed. He’s coming here, I think, on September 24,” he said, referring to Xi’s plans to visit the US for a summit.

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Trump’s reaction came after a report by Reuters stated that Iran is expected to receive a shipment of 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired missiles within weeks in a deal valued between $60 million and $70 million. The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment, and the shipment is expected to transit through Pakistan to Iran.

Trump had also, previously, expressed concerns about the possibility of China selling weapons to Iran during the war. However, he said that Xi told him in a letter that Beijing was not providing arms to Iran.

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The US had also threatened a 50 per cent tariff on goods from countries that arm Iran. If this follows through, then the US-China might be upended. The war already has put a strain on the relationship between the two big economies, as Strait of Hormuz closure has impacted the energy flowing to China.