Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dr. Michael (Yechiel) Leiter warned Thursday of “troubling signs” that China is helping Iran rebuild its ballistic missile program, damaged significantly during recent hostilities between the two countries.
“There's some traffic that is troubling for us... and we want to make sure that we're not dealing with chemicals [and] the ability to reconstitute a ballistic missile program,” Leiter said in an interview with Voice of America, referencing reports of Chinese shipments to Iran that could assist Tehran in restoring its missile capabilities.
Iranian ballistic missile fired at Israel during the war
Following Israeli strikes that reportedly crippled core elements of Iran’s missile infrastructure, Leiter said Israel now bears the responsibility of ensuring that “China or other bad actors don't allow them to reconstitute it.”
He described Israel’s campaign against Iran as a preventive strike, rooted in the belief that Iran’s nuclear and missile programs pose an existential threat. The objective, he said, was to degrade the Islamic Republic’s ability to develop weapons of mass destruction.
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Asked about Israel’s message to Beijing, Leiter acknowledged that Israel cannot unilaterally influence Chinese policy. However, he stressed that Israel stands with the United States in efforts to limit China’s regional influence.
“There's no reason why we couldn't have good relations with the people of China,” he said. “But we certainly don't want to see China acting alongside those who threaten our very existence. Let's not forget—even after the 12-day war, [Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei continues to say that his objective is to destroy the Jewish state. Why would anybody want to be partners with somebody who says they want to destroy a state?”
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Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dr. Michael (Yechiel) Leiter
(Photo: Shmulik Almani)
While China publicly condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran, it has not offered Tehran overt support during the war. In the past, however, Beijing has provided military technology to Iran and participated in joint exercises with the Islamic Republic.
Leiter also addressed ongoing efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, praising U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff for making a “superhuman effort" to finalize a ceasefire agreement. However, he criticized Hamas, saying the terrorist group thrives on “death, murder and mayhem” and is intentionally prolonging the war to retain power.
Turning to the arrest of Jews in Iran during the war, Leiter said, “There’s a reason why the vast majority of Iran's Jews have left... I hope and pray that the Jews left in Tehran are not being persecuted by the mullahs. I hope and pray that those who have been arrested have been released. I would suggest to the mullahs to look more closer to home if they're looking for people who compromise them than the Jewish community of Tehran."