Iran might become a key topic of discussion between two leaders (File photo from when Trump visited China)
The reported imagery was allegedly obtained by Iran before its July 17 missile attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, where three US troops were killed and four others wounded. The July 17 strike marked a major escalation in attacks on US forces. Xi’s visit to Washington from September 23 to 25 is expected to cover a wide range of issues beyond Iran, with trade, artificial intelligence, rare earths and Taiwan among the key areas of discussion.
US officials have linked the imagery to the attack, according to The Wall Street Journal, describing it as the clearest evidence so far that Chinese support for Iran had lethal consequences for US forces. Iran also targeted aircraft at the base, according to US officials. Iranian ballistic missiles struck a housing area at the Jordanian base where American troops were staying, killing three soldiers and wounding four others. The two sides are also seeking to maintain stability in their economic relationship, with the existing trade truce set to expire in November. The summit comes as Washington and Beijing seek to manage tensions over tariffs, technology restrictions and Taiwan, while also competing over artificial intelligence and critical minerals.
Iran could emerge as a sensitive issue when US President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Thursday, amid a report that Chinese entities provided Tehran with high-resolution satellite imagery before an Iranian missile strike that killed three US troops in Jordan.