Trump downplays report Chinese entities supplied Iran satellite imagery before attack that killed U.S. troops
By SCN News Desk
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE : U.S. President Donald Trump played down a report that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of an American military base in Jordan before Tehran attacked the facility in July, killing three U.S. service members, as Washington prepares for a potentially consequential meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan from Chinese entities before the July 17 strike and also received imagery after the attack. The officials did not identify the Chinese entities and, critically, did not accuse the Chinese government of direct involvement in the Iranian strike. Reuters said it had not independently verified the Journal's reporting.
Asked aboard Air Force One whether he would raise the issue with Xi, Trump did not directly answer. Instead, he portrayed intelligence gathering as something both countries engage in. “They basically do what we do,” Trump said, adding that when China is accused of spying on the United States, “we spy on them too.”
Trump also emphasized his relationship with Xi rather than signalling a confrontation over the allegations. “I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well,” Trump said as he returned to the United States after a weekend visit to Ireland. Trump and Xi are expected to meet in the United States on September 24, although Beijing has not officially confirmed the meeting, Reuters reported.
China rejected the allegations on Monday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing had consistently and strictly fulfilled its international obligations and opposed accusations made without evidence. The response stopped short of providing a detailed public account of whether any Chinese commercial or other entities supplied satellite imagery to Iran.
The distinction between Chinese entities and the Chinese government is central to the story. According to the Journal account, U.S. officials believe imagery originating from Chinese entities assisted Iran, but the officials cited did not establish that Beijing ordered, authorised or knowingly facilitated the assistance. That leaves unresolved questions over who provided the imagery, what they knew about its intended use and whether any Chinese state institution was involved.
The allegation nevertheless carries unusually serious implications because the intelligence was reportedly connected to a strike that caused American military deaths. Three U.S. troops were killed and four others wounded when Iranian ballistic missiles struck the Jordanian base on July 17. At least 18 U.S. service personnel have been killed since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began at the end of February, according to Reuters.
Trump's response therefore places two competing U.S. interests in sharp relief. Washington is investigating allegations that Chinese-linked capabilities contributed to Iran's targeting of an American base, while the administration is simultaneously trying to manage broader tensions with Beijing ahead of Trump's anticipated talks with Xi. Whether the satellite-imagery allegation becomes a major issue in those discussions may depend on what additional evidence U.S. intelligence agencies establish about the entities involved and any connection they had to the Chinese state.