US President Donald Trump has warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that any direct or covert assistance to Iran would be unacceptable to Washington. The warning included possible transfers of intelligence, military equipment and technical components, according to US Ambassador to China David Perdue.

Perdue discussed the issue with CNBC while referring to a bilateral meeting between Trump and Xi at the White House on Thursday. He said Washington had raised the matter repeatedly over the past few weeks and was treating it separately from US commitments related to Taiwan.

What Washington told Beijing

The ambassador said Trump made the US position clear during the talks. The account did not include a detailed public response from Xi, but Perdue referred to earlier understandings between the 2 countries on Iran and regional security.

Those understandings include preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring that countries do not impose duties or taxes on ships passing through the waterway.

Perdue said there were signs that China had restricted some activities after receiving US warnings. He did not specify which activities were limited and did not provide supporting figures.

Concern over the Strait of Hormuz

Asked whether China had helped Iran keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, Perdue said the United States believed indirect assistance might have been provided. He also acknowledged that Washington had no direct evidence of such support.

The ambassador said the concern had nevertheless been communicated to Beijing. His comments leave the nature and scale of any possible assistance unspecified.

Report on dual-use components

The latest exchange followed an investigative report by The Wall Street Journal. The report alleged that Chinese suppliers sent about 1,300 dual-use parts to Iran's Defence Ministry during the first half of 2026.

According to that report, the components were used to keep Iran's drone and missile programmes operating. The source material does not identify the suppliers or provide further details about the shipments beyond the reported number and period.

Conclusion

Trump's warning places possible Chinese assistance to Iran at the centre of the latest US-China discussions. Washington says it has raised the concern with Beijing, while evidence and details about any indirect support remain limited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What did Donald Trump warn Xi Jinping about?

Trump warned against any direct or covert Chinese assistance to Iran, including intelligence, military equipment and technical parts.

Q. Who disclosed the details of the warning?

US Ambassador to China David Perdue disclosed the details while speaking to CNBC.

Q. When was the issue raised?

Perdue said it was raised during a White House bilateral meeting on Thursday.

Q. What is the US concern about the Strait of Hormuz?

The United States is concerned that indirect assistance may have helped Iran keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, although it says there is no direct evidence.

Q. What did China reportedly limit?

Perdue said China had limited some activities after US warnings, but he did not identify those activities.

Q. How many dual-use parts were reportedly sent to Iran?

A Wall Street Journal report alleged that Chinese suppliers sent about 1,300 dual-use parts to Iran's Defence Ministry in the first half of 2026.

Q. What were the reported parts used for?

The report said the parts were used to keep Iran's drone and missile programmes operating.

Q. What position did the 2 countries share on Iran's nuclear programme?

Perdue referred to an understanding that Iran should not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.