Perdue Says China Assured U.S. It Is Not Helping Iran

U.S. Ambassador David Perdue said Friday that President Donald Trump warned Chinese President Xi Jinping during their Washington talks this week that any direct or indirect Chinese assistance to Iran would be unacceptable. Perdue said Beijing assured Washington on Thursday that China was not providing such help, though the precise scope and durability of the assurance remain unclear. Perdue described the warning in a Friday interview, saying Trump reiterated a position that had been conveyed to Beijing weeks earlier. He said the United States had received assurances from China and had seen indications that Beijing was responding to its concerns. China has not publicly addressed the specific allegations of assistance to Iran cited in the reports. Trump separately told reporters Friday that he had discussed the Iran war with Xi. The leaders met in Washington during Xi’s three-day state visit, which concluded Friday. They did not take formal questions from reporters during the visit, leaving officials to describe parts of their discussions. Perdue said Washington remains concerned about possible indirect support, including intelligence, components or military equipment.