Trump Says Xi Jinping Supports Pressure on Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump flew back from Beijing on May 16, 2026 after two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping that included a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People. Trump said Xi agreed that Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Sanctions on Chinese oil companies buying Iranian oil. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil. "I'm not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return," Trump said when asked by a reporter on Air Force One whether Xi had made a firm commitment to pressure Iran.

U.S. and Israel launched attacks on February 28, 2026. The strait carried one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the attacks.

The disruption to shipping caused the biggest oil supply crisis in history. U.S. paused its attacks last month but began a port blockade.

U.S. Ended its blockade. Trump has threatened to resume attacks if Iran does not agree to a deal. "We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon, we want the straits open," Trump said in Beijing alongside Xi.

Iran has long denied that it intends to build a nuclear weapon. Iran has refused to end nuclear research or relinquish its hidden stockpile of enriched uranium.

U.S. Indicating Washington was willing to continue talks. "We hope that, with the advancement of negotiations, we will reach a good conclusion so that the Strait of Hormuz can be completely secured and we can expedite the normalization of traffic through the strait," Araqchi stated in New Delhi. He made the statement while speaking to reporters there.

Trump told Fox News' "Hannity" program in an interview aired on May 15, 2026 that he was losing patience with Iran. " Oil prices (LCOc1) rose around 3% to around $109 a barrel on May 16, 2026 on concerns over a lack of progress in resolving the conflict.

U.S. Treasury yields hit their highest in around a year on May 16, 2026. U.S. each rejected the other's most recent proposals.

U.S. Congressional elections in November 2026. Abbas Araqchi said Iran would welcome Chinese input. U.S. has curtailed previous rounds of talks by launching air strikes.