Trump claims ship seized by US had "a gift from China" for Iran

Washington DC [US], April 21 : US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that American forces intercepted a vessel allegedly carrying materials from China intended for Iran, describing the shipment as a "gift" amid ongoing geopolitical tensions with the Islamic Republic.

Speaking in an interview on CNBC Squawk Box, Trump said the United States had recently seized a ship carrying unspecified items, suggesting it may have originated from China and was bound for Iran.

"We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it which wasn't very nice - a gift from China, perhaps, I don't know," Trump said. "I was a little surprised, because I have a very good relationship and I thought I had an understanding with President Xi, but that's all right. That's the way war goes, right?"

Trump also claimed that the US military remains well-supplied, saying stockpiles of ammunition and equipment had improved in recent weeks.

"So we've used this to restock, and they probably have done a little bit of restocking," he added.

The US president did not provide further details about the vessel, the nature of the cargo, or the location of the reported seizure.

The remarks come amid ongoing tensions related to the fragile ceasefire involving Iran, which is set to expire on April 22, and discussions around a potential resolution to the conflict in the region.

Meanwhile, Trump is set to visit China to meet his Chinese counterpart from May 14 to May 15.

The highly anticipated meeting was postponed due to the US military operations in Iran.

In a post on Truth Social last month, the US President said, "My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th."

He further added that he will be hosting the Chinese President and his wife for a "reciprocal visit" to Washington late this year.

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