Beijing [China], April 24 : China on Friday dismissed allegations by US President Donald Trump that an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel intercepted by US forces was 'a gift from China', calling the accusation not based on facts.
According to Al Jazeera, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the accusation lacked evidence. He also told reporters that trade relations between countries should not be disrupted amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Earlier, on Wednesday as well, China dismissed US President Donald Trump's claim that a vessel intercepted by US forces in the Strait of Hormuz may have been carrying a "gift from China" to Tehran, reiterating that it has always complied with its international obligations.
Responding to a question on Trump's comments during a regular press conference here, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that Beijing has repeatedly clarified its position on the matter and emphasised its record as a responsible global power.
"China has made clear its position more than once. Let me reiterate that as a responsible major country, China has always been a role model in performing its due international obligations," the spokesperson said.
Earlier, 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.
Meanwhile, on April 21, Iravani also formally urged the global body to press the United States to immediately and unconditionally release the Iranian commercial vessel Touska, along with its crew and their families, as reported by Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.
In a letter sent on Tuesday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council, Ambassador Iravani raised "urgent concern" over what he described as ongoing international law violations by the United States, including the deliberate targeting of Iranian commercial ships.
Iravani detailed the incident involving the Touska, stating that US forces had captured the vessel in the Sea of Oman near Iran's coast a day earlier, calling the move a "hostile and unlawful act."