US Officials: Iran Conflict Not Delaying Taiwan Arms

U.S. officials assured lawmakers on Tuesday that the ongoing military campaign against Iran has not disrupted arms shipments to Taiwan or altered American policy toward the island, even as the conflict strains defense resources.

The testimony came during a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington, where Stanley Brown, principal deputy assistant secretary of State for political-military affairs, addressed concerns about potential delays. "Have we delayed moving things to Taiwan? We haven't," Brown said. He noted that a multibillion-dollar backlog of weapons deliveries to Taiwan already existed before the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28. The intense air operations have prompted worries among some officials that surging demand could overwhelm the U.S. defense industry, possibly slowing exports to allies like Taiwan, which confronts increasing military pressure from China.

Brown added that the Trump administration is exploring options to accelerate shipments but offered no details on specific measures. The hearing coincided with President Donald Trump's announcement that he was postponing a planned trip to Beijing for talks with Chinese...