Trump warns Xi that Chinese assistance to Iran is unacceptable, US ambassador says

U.S. President Donald Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping during a White House meeting that any Chinese assistance to Iran was “totally unacceptable.” The remark was relayed by U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, who said the president reiterated the position in a conversation that took place on September 24.

Perdue told CNBC that the United States had warned Beijing weeks earlier that any direct or indirect help to Iran – including intelligence, parts or military equipment – would not be tolerated. “President Trump made that very clear again yesterday. This is an ongoing drumbeat,” he said.

According to the ambassador, Washington received assurances from Beijing on September 24 that China would not provide such assistance. Perdue added that “we’ve seen movement… on that already. That’s what the commitment is. They assured us yesterday they’re not doing that,” when speaking on Fox News.

Xi’s three‑day state visit to Washington focused on maintaining stability in the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. The leaders held a 90‑minute closed‑door meeting that covered the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula, while no major breakthroughs were reported on trade or artificial‑intelligence issues.

After the talks, President Trump posted on social media that the meeting was “productive” and that “tremendous things will be happening,” reflecting a tone of optimism about the dialogue between the two heads of state.