Trump’s Warning to China Over Iran

On Sunday, President Trump stated that China would face tariffs if it supplied weapons to Iran, calling the potential consequences “staggering.”

In a post on Truth Social, he announced a naval blockade for the Strait of Hormuz, saying any ships that paid Iranian fees in Chinese yuan or virtual currency would be seized by the U.S. Navy. During an interview, host Maria Bartiromo referenced reports suggesting that China has been supplying missiles to Iran. She asked if Trump’s earlier comments about countries sending military equipment to Iran included China.

Trump affirmed this claim, saying, “Yes, and so do other people if they know it’s China.” He expressed skepticism about some news reports but acknowledged hearing that China had supplied anti-aircraft missiles to Iran. Interestingly, he seemed torn about the issue, admitting he couldn’t quite believe it was happening, though he thought China might have done so initially.

Recent reports also indicate that China is planning to send air defense systems to Iran, and Iran has successfully shot down an F-15E Strike Eagle. Notably, other F-15Es were lost due to mishaps unrelated to conflict, including accidents involving Kuwaiti air defenses and a tanker crash in Iraq.

On the same day, Trump claimed that Iran’s air defenses are “useless,” and he mentioned that U.S. Navy vessels would address the mine threat posed by Iran.

Iran declared that it would permit 12 ships per day to navigate, with toll payments in yuan or virtual currency. Moreover, the Islamic regime claimed ignorance about the precise location of mines it had deposited in the waters.