Secretary Bessent Dismisses Report Of China’s Continued Support For Iran

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Sunday denied a claim by a prominent national security analyst about China’s support for Iran amid the Islamic republic’s war with the United States.

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Jack Keane claimed Friday in a Fox News interview that one reason the U.S. took action against Iran was because American and Israeli intelligence determined China was sending Iran fuel and parts for ballistic missiles. Bessent dismissed the allegation when asked by “Sunday Morning Futures” interim host Larry Kudlow.

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“General Jack Keane … he’s been out saying that China’s military supplies to Iran has actually increased and intel assistance, supplies for ballistic missile programs, dual-use supplies— I mean, they’re not selling oil, Iran’s not selling any oil. We’ve basically shut that down,” Kudlow stated before asking Bessent, “But is it possible that China is still making sales and somehow Iran gets cash for those sales?”

“I have great respect for General Keane, but he is mistaken here,” Bessent replied. “China has substantially reduced any assistance to Iran, and I am confident given that there are only 15 million more barrels of Iranian oil on the water, then Iran will have nothing left to trade for anything … Probably within the next two weeks they are going to make their final deliveries of oil to China, and then they will have nothing.”

The U.S. Department of the Treasury launched Operation Economic Outcast on Aug. 24 to sanction those who trade with Iran and financially isolate the regime.

“It is an empty set, and I believe that they are feeling the pressure here, and that’s why they want a deal,” Bessent continued. “You saw when President Trump was leaving the White House this morning that the Iranians say they’ll open the straits within seven days — Larry, the straits are open. If you take out the Iranian oil, which we’re not letting out … we’re averaging now 15-22 million barrels a day. It was at about 20 [million] pre-conflict. So, you take out the 1.5 to 2 Iranian barrels.”

“So, think of it this way, Larry,” Bessent concluded. “The score is United States one billion — more than one billion barrels have gotten out — Iran, zero.”