Trump dismisses report China entities helped Iran before attack that killed US troops

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump dismissed a report suggesting Iran had obtained satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese sources prior to an attack that resulted in the deaths of three US troops in July. The Wall Street Journal reported this based on unnamed US officials, but Reuters could not independently confirm the information.

When questioned about the matter during an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly address it. Instead, he asserted that both China and the United States conduct similar surveillance activities, stating, "They basically do what we do, I say you're right, and we spy on them too." The upcoming meeting between the two presidents is scheduled for September 24 in the United States, although China has yet to officially confirm it.

Trump reiterated his positive view of his relationship with Xi, commenting, "I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well." The Wall Street Journal report, however, did not allege direct involvement by the Chinese entities in the surveillance activities. Despite US frustration over Beijing's close ties to Tehran, Trump's remarks seem to align with the administration's recent efforts to downplay the tensions between Washington and Beijing.