US President Donald Trump has made it clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping that any assistance from China to Iran would be unacceptable to Washington, according to US Ambassador to China David Perdue.

Perdue said Trump reiterated the message during his latest meeting with Xi at the White House, describing the discussions between the two leaders as candid and open.

Speaking to CNBC, the US envoy said Washington had already communicated its position to Beijing weeks earlier. He said the United States considers any direct or indirect assistance to Iran, including intelligence, parts or military equipment, unacceptable.

According to Perdue, Trump repeated the warning during his latest talks with Xi, indicating that the issue remains a continuing concern for Washington.

The ambassador also said the relationship between Trump and Xi was developing a degree of trust, while the two leaders continued discussions on several difficult issues affecting relations between the United States and China.

Trump and Xi met at the White House as part of the Chinese president’s visit to the United States. Their discussions have taken place against the backdrop of continuing tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade, technology, Taiwan and China’s relations with Iran.

The issue of China’s ties with Iran has emerged as a sensitive point in US-China relations, with Washington seeking to limit Tehran’s access to international economic and military support.

At the same time, Beijing has maintained economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran, adding another layer to the broader strategic differences between the two major powers.