The United States has intel that China might be weighing financial aid for Iran along with spare parts and missile components, CNN reported citing three people familiar with the matter. This comes after reports that Russia has been supplying Iran with real-time intelligence on the locations of US military assets in the Middle East, including warships and aircraft, potentially enabling Tehran to target American forces during the ongoing conflict.“China is more cautious in its support. It wants the war to end because it endangers their energy supply,” CNN quoted a source saying.US defense secretary Pete Hegseth, however, has already said that Russia and China were “not really a factor” in the war with Iran.
The Central Intelligence Agency and the United States department of defense have not commented on the reports about Russian and Chinese assistance to Iran.Russia has publicly called for an end to the conflict, describing it as an “unprovoked act of armed aggression.” The Russian embassy in Washington, DC did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post.The reported intelligence sharing also highlights shifting alignments among US adversaries. During the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran, China and North Korea have provided various forms of military or material support to Russia, while the United States has supplied Ukraine with weapons and intelligence to help target Russian forces.The US military campaign against Iran currently involves more than 50,000 troops, over 200 fighter jets and two aircraft carriers, according to Brad Cooper. US officials have not indicated how long the conflict is expected to continue.
