Key Points
- Trump states he is doing “very big favours” for China.
- Trump claims Russia understands US arms go exclusively to NATO.
- US President insists he has no control over NATO distribution.
- Trump views both major global powers as non-participants in Iran.
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has received direct, personal assurances from both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin that their countries will not sell or give weapons to Iran.
In a detailed statement published on his Truth Social platform, the President positioned the two heavily armed superpowers as strictly neutral entities amid the worsening military conflict between Washington and Tehran.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 24, 2026
Trump detailed a face-to-face meeting held with President Xi in Beijing, during which the Chinese leader reportedly drew a hard line against supporting the Islamic Republic.
“President Xi told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — And that statement included Chinese Companies,” Trump wrote, adding that due to their relationship and “very big favours” he is doing for China, he takes the leader at his word.
Moscow ‘pledges compliance’
Turning to Moscow, he asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had provided a parallel guarantee despite the severe friction caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to the President, Putin respects the parameters of American military aid, acknowledging that the US does not sell weapons directly to Ukraine but rather to NATO member nations at full price.
He noted that how those NATO countries choose to redistribute the equipment is beyond his knowledge.
The US President concluded with a stern reminder that stepping over the line to arm Iran would bring severe consequences.
“Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them — Certainly not in their best interests.”
Behind closed doors
The diplomatic breakthrough claimed by President Trump caps off months of intense, behind-the-scenes negotiations aimed at isolating Iran on the global stage.
Tension between Washington and Beijing initially peaked in April, when US intelligence agencies flagged reports indicating that China was preparing to deliver sophisticated air defence systems to Iranian forces.
Trump countered the move publicly in June, warning Beijing of “big problems” if the arms sales advanced, while concurrently laying the groundwork for the high-stakes bilateral summit in Beijing.
The geopolitical landscape remains exceptionally volatile. The United States and Iran have been locked in a direct military conflict since February 28, a crisis sparked by joint US-Israeli airstrikes that killed top-tier Iranian officials.
A central objective of American intelligence throughout the war has been monitoring potential security backchannels, particularly amid concerns that the Kremlin might provide advanced drone technology or tactical satellite targeting data to Tehran.
By extracting public assurances from both Beijing and Moscow, the Trump administration seeks to decisively sever Iran’s access to external superpower lifelines.
Trump warns of unprecedented ‘massive attack’ on Iran
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was close to deciding whether to launch a “massive attack” on Iran, on a scale larger than strikes already witnessed during the months-long conflict with Tehran.
Also Read: Trump Warns of Unprecedented ‘Massive Attack’ on Iran
Speaking to the news website Axios, Trump said he was weighing military action on a scale larger than previous strikes.
“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump was quoted as saying.
Exclusive: Trump says he’s “close” to decision on “massive attack” against Iran https://t.co/cT0ofF2Lip
— Axios (@axios) July 23, 2026
The US President acknowledged that such action would carry consequences but said he had not yet made a final decision or set a deadline.
Trump said Israel “would join in two minutes if I ask them to”, before adding: “We don’t need anybody.”
He also said there would be consequences if Israel became involved, appearing to refer to possible Iranian retaliation.
According to Axios, Trump claimed Iranian officials wanted to negotiate but were not yet prepared to reach an agreement.
