US President Donald Trump has dismissed reports that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a US military base in Jordan before and after an Iranian missile strike that killed three American soldiers.
Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, said intelligence gathering was common between major powers, noting that the United States also conducts surveillance operations.
The Wall Street Journal had reported that Chinese entities provided Tehran with satellite images linked to the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which hosts US forces in Jordan. However, US officials cited in the report did not identify the Chinese entities involved or suggest that Beijing was directly responsible.
The July 17 Iranian missile attack on the base killed three US Army soldiers.
The report comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing, with Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to visit the White House on September 24.
Trump has previously warned China against supplying weapons to Iran, while Washington sanctioned three China-based satellite companies in May over alleged support for Iran’s military operations.
