Trump downplays report China entities helped Iran before attack that killed US troops

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (Sep 13) brushed aside a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before an attack that killed three US troops there in July.

A recent report in the Wall Street Journal cited unnamed US officials about the attack in Jordan. 

Asked whether he would mention the issue at an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly answer, and instead equated the surveillance activities of China and the United States.

"They basically do what we do," he told reporters aboard Air Force One. "When they say China spies on us, I say you're right and we spy on them too."

The Chinese and US presidents are expected to meet in the United States on Sep 24, although China has yet to officially confirm that the meeting will take place.

Trump on Sunday reiterated his view that he has a good relationship with Xi.

"I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well," Trump said as he flew back to the United States after a weekend trip to Ireland.

The Wall Street Journal report, which Reuters could not immediately verify, said the US officials declined to identify the Chinese entities that supplied the imagery to Iran and did not allege direct involvement by Beijing.

Trump's comments appeared consistent with the administration's recent efforts to play down wide-ranging tensions between Washington and Beijing, despite US frustration over Beijing's close ties to Tehran.

At least 18 US service personnel have been killed since the US-Israeli war with Iran began at the end of February.