WASHINGTON, July 24, 2026 — President Donald Trump has warned China and Russia against assisting Iran during the widening Middle East conflict, while saying he does not currently believe either country has entered the fighting directly.
Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him that their governments would not supply weapons to Tehran. No independent confirmation of those reported private assurances was immediately available from Beijing or Moscow.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth separately told lawmakers that China and Russia were involved in unspecified ways. He did not publicly provide evidence or explain whether the alleged involvement concerned intelligence, equipment, diplomacy or other forms of assistance.
Reuters reported that American intelligence agencies had examined whether Russia provided Iran with targeting information or drone-related technology after Iranian attacks against facilities associated with the United States in the Gulf. The inquiry itself does not establish that such assistance occurred, and no conclusive public assessment has been released.
The Kremlin declined to comment on the specific intelligence questions. China has repeatedly called for de-escalation and negotiations while criticizing American military operations against Iran.
Washington has previously sanctioned individuals and companies in China and Russia over alleged involvement in Iran’s weapons-procurement networks. Those cases are separate from the unresolved question of direct assistance during the present conflict.
Why it matters: Material support from either Russia or China could internationalize the conflict, complicate diplomatic efforts and intensify tensions among nuclear-armed powers.
