Overview
- China’s foreign ministry dismissed the reports as false after a news briefing in Beijing, without providing evidence or detail.
- Two senior U.S. officials said SMIC began sending chipmaking equipment to Iran’s military about a year ago and likely provided technical training.
- Officials did not say whether the tools contained U.S.-made components, a key factor that could trigger sanctions under American export laws.
- SMIC, the Chinese Embassy in Washington, and Iran’s U.N. mission did not respond to requests for comment from reporters.
- SMIC has been on a U.S. trade blacklist since 2020 and faced tighter limits in 2024, a backdrop that makes any new transfers a flashpoint for U.S.–China ties and technology supply chains.