WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has dismissed a report alleging that Chinese entities provided Iran with satellite imagery of a US military base in Jordan before an attack that killed three American troops in July.
The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed US officials, reported that Chinese entities supplied the imagery to Iran. Reuters said it could not immediately independently verify the report.
Asked whether he would raise the issue during an expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly respond. Instead, he drew a comparison between Chinese surveillance activities and those conducted by the United States.
Trump reiterated that he has a good relationship with Xi, saying both sides had behaved reasonably well.
The US and Chinese presidents are expected to meet in the United States on September 24, although Beijing has not yet officially confirmed the meeting.
According to the report, US officials did not identify the Chinese entities allegedly involved and did not accuse the Chinese government of directly participating in the transfer of satellite imagery.
Trump’s comments come as his administration seeks to prevent further escalation of tensions with Beijing, despite continued US concerns over China’s expanding ties with Tehran.