U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 12 he did not believe Russia and China were helping Iran in its war with the United States and Israel, as Tehran continued reviewing Washington’s response to a proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“They have too much to lose, and we would know about it, and know about it very fast!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added that any assistance, if being provided, would be at a very low level.
Trump had said in July that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him they would not supply weapons to Iran.
He said Xi’s assurance also covered Chinese companies.
Reports citing Western officials have continued to raise questions about foreign support for Tehran and its ability to replenish its arsenal.
Bloomberg reported that Iran retained the capacity to manufacture missiles and drones, citing unnamed Western officials.
One official said Russia was supplying missiles to Iran. The White House rejected the assessment of Iran’s military capabilities, while Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported in September that U.S. officials had linked satellite imagery supplied by Chinese entities to an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan that killed three American troops in July.
The officials stopped short of accusing Beijing of direct involvement. Chinese officials denied the allegations and demanded evidence, according to the report.
Washington had imposed sanctions in May on Chinese companies accused of supporting Iranian military procurement and supplying satellite imagery.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Oct. 12 that Tehran was still assessing the U.S. response to its proposal on reopening Hormuz and would reply through intermediaries once the review was complete.
His comments followed a statement by Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei that Washington’s response did not sufficiently address Tehran’s seven conditions for reopening the waterway and returning to negotiations.
Washington wants Iran’s nuclear program addressed from the outset. Tehran says discussions should first focus on reopening the strait and restoring security there.
Qatar and Pakistan have been among the mediators seeking to end the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
An interim ceasefire reached in June broke down, and intermittent strikes resumed.
Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried about a fifth of global trade in oil and liquefied natural gas.
Disputes over navigation through the waterway remain central to efforts to reach a settlement.
