The US President said Chinese leader Xi Jinping assured him Beijing was not supplying weapons to Tehran….reports Asian Lite News
US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had assured him that Beijing was not sending weapons to Iran, as the Trump administration continued diplomatic efforts to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the White House ballroom construction site, Trump said he had received direct assurances from Xi regarding China’s role in the region.
“President Xi has promised me that he’s not sending any weapons to Iran,” Trump said. “That’s a beautiful promise. I take him at his word.”
The US President also highlighted his personal rapport with the Chinese leader, recalling recent engagements between the two countries.
“We had an amazing time in China,” Trump said. “President Xi and I had really an amazing time.”
Trump made the remarks while discussing Iran’s military capabilities, regional security concerns and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes.
He argued that China had a strong interest in maintaining stability in the Gulf because of its dependence on Middle Eastern energy imports.
“You know, if you think about it, he gets 40 per cent of his oil,” Trump said, referring to Xi. “He wants it open. Like me, I want it open.”
The President accused Iran of using key maritime routes as leverage over the international community for decades.
“Iran has used the straits as a military weapon for 47 years,” Trump said. “That’s not their strait, that’s international waterways.”
Trump said Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait were coordinating with Washington as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning Iran.
“We are negotiating together,” he said. “Israel has been a great partner.”
The President also claimed Iran’s military infrastructure had suffered heavy losses in recent strikes.
“Their missiles are 82 per cent gone, we estimate,” Trump said. “Their Navy is completely gone; their Air Force is completely gone.”
He acknowledged that Iran retained “a little capacity” to retaliate but argued that its ability to rebuild had been severely weakened.
“Their capacity to build is very little right now because we hit all of their manufacturing areas,” Trump said.
Trump revealed that the United States had been close to authorising additional military action before regional allies urged Washington to allow more time for diplomacy.
“I was an hour away from making the decision to go today,” he said.
The US President reiterated that Iran could not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
“If they had a nuclear weapon, they would start with Israel,” Trump said. “It would be nuclear holocaust.”
He also warned that prolonged instability in the Middle East could disrupt global energy markets and impact fuel supplies.
“One of the things that is happening is these big ships are coming up to Texas, Louisiana and Alaska and they’re loading up,” Trump said.
The comments underscored the Trump administration’s attempt to maintain pressure on Iran while also keeping diplomatic communication channels open with major global powers, including China.
China remains one of Iran’s closest economic partners and a major buyer of Iranian oil despite years of US sanctions. Beijing has repeatedly opposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran and has consistently called for diplomatic engagement over Iran’s nuclear programme.
