US President Donald Trump on Friday said he trusted China and Russia not to provide military support to Iran amid its ongoing tensions with Washington, while warning that any involvement by either country would have serious consequences.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him that their countries would not supply weapons to Tehran.

Trump Cites Assurances From Xi and Putin

Trump said Xi had assured him during their recent meeting in Beijing that China would neither provide nor permit the sale of weapons to Iran, including through Chinese companies.

He added that Putin had also told him Russia would not sell weapons to Tehran.

“I think I trust them,” Trump said when asked whether he believed China and Russia would refrain from supporting Iran militarily.

He also warned that any involvement by either country in the conflict would be “very bad” for both nations.

Remarks Differ From Earlier US Assessment

Trump’s comments come days after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that Russia and China were involved in ways that were “enabling some of the things Iran is doing.”

Hegseth did not provide further details or publicly elaborate on the nature of the alleged support.

US Intelligence Examining Possible Russian Assistance

According to Reuters, US intelligence agencies are examining whether Russia may have assisted Iran with targeting information or drone technology following Iranian strikes on CIA targets in the Gulf.

The report, citing four people familiar with the matter, said investigators were assessing the extent of any possible Russian involvement.

The Kremlin declined to comment on the allegations.

US Has Previously Sanctioned Russian, Chinese Entities

The United States has previously imposed sanctions on individuals and companies in Russia and China over allegations that they helped Iran acquire weapons and military-related technology.

Trump’s latest remarks suggest that, despite ongoing concerns within sections of the US administration, he believes both Beijing and Moscow will honour their commitments not to supply arms to Tehran as tensions in the region continue.

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