Trump Says Xi Pledged No Military Aid to Iran and Offered to Mediate Hormuz Tensions

President Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged not to provide military equipment to Iran during their recent bilateral meeting in Beijing. Trump described the assurance as a significant development, noting that Xi stated it strongly. He added that Xi expressed willingness to help end the conflict if possible and offered to mediate tensions in an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The statements were made during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Trump said Xi also indicated China would like to continue purchasing Iranian oil but wants the strait kept open without tolls. "He said he's not going to give military equipment.

That's a big statement. He said that today. That's a big statement. (He) said that strongly," Trump told Hannity on Thursday. Trump countered that the United States had not closed the strait. He expressed belief that a deal would be reached for China to buy oil from the United States instead, with shipments from Texas, Louisiana and Alaska.

"They're going to go to Texas. We're going to start sending Chinese ships to Texas and to Louisiana and to Alaska. And I think that was another thing that was agreed to it. That's a big thing," Trump said. The meeting took place Friday morning local time at the Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing.

It marked the final session before Trump's return to the White House.

China imports roughly $31 billion to $32 billion of Iranian crude annually. In May, Beijing ordered its companies to ignore U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil purchases and invoked a 2021 blocking statute that bars compliance with what it called illegitimate foreign sanctions.

The order targeted several Chinese refiners, including independent "teapot" processors accused by the U.S. of buying Iranian crude. U.S. officials have accused China of propping up Iran's military and economic strength through oil purchases, dual-use exports and intermediary networks.