Trump draws red line for Putin, Xi over Iran war

United States President Donald Trump has warned Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping that arming Iran would bring “very bad” consequences for Russia and China.

Trump said it was “certainly not in their best interests” to supply weapons to Tehran amid its war with the United States and Israel.

The US president, however, maintained that Putin and Xi had personally assured him that their countries had not armed Iran and were not participating in the conflict.

Western intelligence reports earlier in the year claimed Russia had supplied Iran with drones, food and medicine. China was also reportedly considering sending air-defence systems to Tehran.

In a social media post, Trump said Xi gave him an assurance during their recent meeting in Beijing that China would not provide weapons to Iran.

“President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote.

He said Putin gave him a similar assurance despite Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine.

“Likewise, President Putin, despite the horrible war going on in Ukraine, told me that he would not sell weapons to Iran,” he added.

Trump said he believed neither China nor Russia was taking part in supporting Iran militarily, but warned both countries against changing their position.

“Two major countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them – certainly not in their best interests,” Trump said.

His warning came amid reports that Iran executed more than 100 people in the previous month, including three women, as human rights groups raised concerns about intensifying repression in the country.

Tehran reportedly resumed executions weeks after the war with the United States and Israel began in March, amid efforts by the authorities to suppress anti-government protests.

More than 50 people have reportedly been killed over their involvement in the demonstrations, described as the largest since Iran’s clerical establishment came to power in 1979.

Experts have warned that executions could increase further following the collapse of proposed ceasefire efforts.