U.S. President Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed that Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but there is still no clear sign that Beijing will directly pressure Tehran to do so. Trump spoke while flying back from Beijing after two days of talks with Xi, where the crisis over Iran and global oil supplies dominated discussions.
Iran has effectively shut the vital waterway, which previously carried about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, following joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. The disruption has triggered the biggest oil supply shock in history and sent energy prices soaring, piling pressure on economies already struggling with slow growth.
Trump said both leaders shared the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and of restoring safe passage through the strait. He also revealed he is considering easing U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies that buy Iranian oil, acknowledging that China is the largest importer of Iranian crude and a major stakeholder in resolving the crisis.
Xi did not publicly confirm Trump’s account of their private conversation on Iran, but China’s foreign ministry issued one of its strongest statements yet against the conflict. Beijing described the Iran war as one that “should never have happened” and said there is “no justification” for its continuation, calling for an immediate ceasefire and renewed diplomacy.
Despite the apparent convergence with Washington on reopening the strait and preventing nuclear escalation, China has so far stopped short of promising any concrete steps such as sanctions or direct mediation. Analysts note that Beijing is trying to balance its deep energy and economic ties with Tehran against its interest in regional stability and its broader rivalry and cooperation with the United States.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, say they have received messages from Washington indicating that the United States remains open to further talks. But Tehran insists any move on the strait and its nuclear programme must be tied to security guarantees and relief from crippling sanctions, conditions that are still far from being met.
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