US President Donald Trump downplayed reports that Chinese entities provided Tehran with satellite images of a military base in Jordan before and after an Iranian attack that killed three US soldiers. "When they say China spies on us, I say: they're right, and we spy on them too," Trump said aboard the presidential plane Air Force One.
On July 17, Iran launched missiles at the Muwaffaq Salti air base in Jordan, where US forces are stationed, killing three American soldiers. The Wall Street Journal reported on the alleged sharing of information between Chinese and Iranian entities regarding that base.
US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal did not specify which Chinese entities were involved nor suggested that the Chinese government was directly responsible. China called for evidence of the satellite image transfer and did not acknowledge the involvement of Chinese companies in supplying Tehran.
In May, Washington imposed sanctions on three satellite companies based in China, accusing them of facilitating Iranian military operations. China is one of Iran's main economic partners and is also an important diplomatic ally of Tehran. A state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States is scheduled for late September.
