Washington denies linking postponement of Taiwan arms deal to operations against Iran

Informed US sources denied that there was any linkage between the postponement of approval of the arms deal with Taiwan and the ongoing US military operations against Iran, noting that the arms sales procedures take many years of review and approvals. Taiwan, which Beijing considers an integral part of its territory, is waiting for Washington to approve a huge arms deal that could be worth up to $14 billion, according to Reuters. US President Donald Trump has raised the case of Anxiety in Taipei when he stated after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping that he had not made a final decision on the deal. For his part, Hong Kao, Acting Secretary of the US Navy, pointed out during a parliamentary session that there is a temporary suspension of arms sales to Taiwan, justifying the need to ensure the availability of ammunition for the "epic of anger" operation against Iran. However, the informed source rejected this justification, stressing that "the US military has enough Ammunition, materiel, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump's strategic goals and more. ”He added that Trump promised to make a quick decision on arms sales to Taiwan. The United States remains obligated under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide the island with the necessary defensive means to protect itself. Since the meeting between Trump and Xi, Washington has maintained that its policy toward Taiwan has not undergone any fundamental change.