U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that American forces intercepted a vessel allegedly transporting a “gift” from China to Iran, as Tehran attempts to rebuild its military capacity during a ceasefire period.
Speaking to CNBC, Trump described the intercepted cargo as “a gift from China” which “wasn’t very nice,” adding that he was taken aback by the development.
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“I was a little surprised,” he said, noting that he believed he had an “understanding” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The president also recalled that just a week earlier, he had announced that Xi had assured him China would not be supplying weapons to Iran, which has long maintained close ties with Beijing.