Trump warns Xi over Chinese support for Iran, receives assurances

Sep 25, 2026

During a state visit to Washington, US President Donald Trump warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that any direct or indirect Chinese support for Iran is totally unacceptable. US Ambassador David Perdue reported receiving assurances from Beijing that China is not assisting Tehran. However, tensions remain high over reports of Chinese entities supplying shoulder-fired missile launchers and helping Iran evade oil sanctions, while Iranian officials claim Beijing promised their bilateral ties would remain unaffected by US pressure.

Trump-Xi meeting on September 24

▪US President Donald Trump acknowledged on September 25, 2026, that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the war launched by the US and Israel on Iran in late February 2026
▪Chinese state newswire Xinhua reported on September 24, 2026, that President Xi Jinping urged the United States and Iran to return to negotiations to end their conflict
▪US President Donald Trump warned Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks in Washington, DC, that any direct or indirect Chinese support for Iran is totally unacceptable
▪US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a 90-minute closed-door meeting on September 24, 2026, discussing the Middle East, Ukraine, and the Korean Peninsula

US warnings and Chinese assurances

▪US Ambassador to China David Perdue stated that Washington received assurances from Beijing on September 24, 2026, committing that China is not assisting Iran
▪US Ambassador to China David Perdue stated on September 25, 2026, that the US warned China weeks prior that intelligence, parts, or military equipment support to Iran is unacceptable

Allegations of Chinese assistance to Iran

▪Reports in July 2026 indicated that Iran was expected to receive a first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers
▪Iran utilized a barter-like arrangement with China to bypass oil sanctions and purchase billions of dollars in goods, including military gear, according to sources in September 2026
▪US President Donald Trump on September 13, 2026, dismissed a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a Jordan military base from Chinese entities before a July attack

China's stance on Iran

▪A senior Iranian official told Reuters on September 25, 2026, that Chinese officials assured Iran that Beijing will not limit economic, political, or military ties with Tehran under US pressure
▪Chinese President Xi Jinping has not publicly commented on Chinese support for Iran as of September 25, 2026