Gottheimer, Tenney lead 21 bipartisan members urging State Department to combat growing China-Iran alliance
Iran-China relationship threatens U.S. National Security, Global Stability
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, September 19, 2023, a bipartisan group of 21 Members of Congress — led by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Claudia Tenney (NY-24) — wrote to Secretary Antony Blinken urging the State Department to take action and address concerns over the growing relationship between China and Iran.
China is Iran’s biggest customer for oil and a major supplier for Iran’s missile and drone program. Despite strict U.S. sanctions designed to curb the Iranian regime’s oil trade, Iranian oil exports to China more than doubled last year.
Recent reports indicate that China is considering supplying Iran with ammonium perchlorate — a key chemical compound used to propel ballistic missiles. China is also helping aid Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
“The Chinese-Iranian alliance presents a unique challenge and dangerous partnership antithetical to American national security interests. China is participating in the Iranian oil trade, bolstering Tehran’s ballistic missile program, supplying drone parts for Russia’s use against Ukraine, and disregarding Iran’s backing of terror groups and their proxies. This cannot be tolerated,” the 21 bipartisan Members of Congress wrote in a letter today to Secretary Blinken.
The letter continued, “Above all, we must prevent Iran from ever acquiring nuclear weapons and threatening our greatest ally in the region. Yet, China’s activities in the Middle East make these already complicated challenges more difficult and dangerous. China is indifferent toward existing sanctions on Iran; Iranian support for Hamas and Hezbollah; and Iran’s continued role as the leading state sponsor of terror.”
“FDD Action is proud to support this important bipartisan letter, which takes aim at the danger of China’s burgeoning relationship with Iran. It builds on efforts from both sides of the aisle to spur the administration to take concerted, impactful action against concerning aspects of the Iran-China trade. China and Iran are depending on the United States to look the other way in the face of the threats posed by Sino-Iranian collusion. We do so at our peril,” said FDD Action.
