Khaberni - Reuters reported, citing senior officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, that Iran acquired chip-making equipment from China's largest electronic chip manufacturer.
The agency mentioned that "SMIC," the largest electronic chip manufacturer in China, sent chip-making equipment to the Iranian military.
One of the officials said that the Chinese company, which was subject to severe sanctions by Washington due to suspicions of its connections with the Chinese military, began shipping tools to Iran about a year ago and that "we have no reason to believe that this has stopped."
The official added that the cooperation "likely included technical training on semiconductor technology from SMIC."
The two officials requested anonymity in order to discuss previously undisclosed US government information. They did not specify whether the tools were of American origin, which would make their shipment to Iran a violation of US sanctions.
SMIC or the Chinese Embassy in Washington or the spokesperson for the Iranian mission to the United Nations have yet to respond to the agency's requests for comments.
SMIC denied any links to the Chinese military-industrial complex. The company was listed in a trade blacklist in 2020 that limits its access to US exports.
The United States and Israel have been waging a war on Iran for about a month, and Iran has responded by firing rockets at Israel and the occupied territories, and its rockets and drones have also targeted what it says are US bases and interests in Arab countries in the region, although those rockets and drones have hit civilian targets and caused material damage as well as deaths and injuries.
This week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on all parties to seize every opportunity to start peace talks as soon as possible.
These reports threaten to escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing amidst Iran's war at a time when the United States is seeking to tighten control over the advanced chip industry in China.
Last month, Reuters reported that Iran was close to making a deal with China to buy anti-ship cruise missiles, coinciding with the US deploying a significant naval force near the Iranian coast before launching strikes on Iran.
It is not yet clear what role, if any, the chip-making tools played in Iran's response to the war.
One of the officials said the tools were received by the Iranian "military-industrial complex" and could be used in any electronic devices requiring chips.
