US intelligence indicates China preparing weapons shipment to Iran, CNN reports

FILE PHOTO: The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 9, 2020. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo)

April 11 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence indicates China is  preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran  within the next few weeks,  CNN reported late on Friday, citing three  people familiar with recent intelligence assessments.

The network said there are indications Beijing is working to route  the shipments through third countries to  mask their origin.

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to a group of reporters on Saturday afternoon as he departed the White House to fly to Miami, said that "if China does that, China can have big problems."

He did not elaborate.

The U.S. State Department, the Chinese embassy in Washington and China's foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters requests for comment earlier on Saturday.

Beijing is preparing to transfer shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems known as MANPADs, CNN said, citing sources it did not name.

The U.S. and Iran held high-level negotiations nL1N40U01A on Saturday in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, seeking ways to end their six week-old war.

(Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by William Mallard, Jan Harvey and Paul Simao)