President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns over reports of growing Chinese-Iranian cooperation on satellite surveillance, responding bluntly when questioned about the intelligence.
Trump said the United States also conducts intelligence operations against both countries, suggesting Washington is closely monitoring developments involving China and Iran.
The reports indicate that Beijing and Tehran may be working together to develop surveillance capabilities, raising concerns in Washington over deeper military and intelligence cooperation between the two U.S. rivals.
Trump’s response appeared to downplay the immediate threat, while also highlighting the wider intelligence competition between the United States, China and Iran.
The comments come ahead of anticipated talks with Chinese officials, as Washington seeks to manage tensions with Beijing while maintaining pressure on Iran.
China and Iran have expanded their strategic relationship in recent years, including cooperation in areas such as trade, technology and security.
The latest remarks suggest Trump may prefer to manage these rival partnerships through intelligence and diplomacy rather than directly confronting every area of cooperation. However, increased satellite and surveillance capabilities could add another layer to the growing strategic competition between the major powers.
