Trump says Xi Jinping agreed with him on Iran’s need to open Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping had allegedly supported the idea of reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Tehran’s part. At the same time, Beijing has not given any public indication of its intention to intervene in this matter.
Reuters reports this, according to Censor.NET, citing "Economic Truth".
What does Trump say?
Returning from Beijing on Friday after two days of talks with Xi, Trump said he was considering lifting U.S. sanctions against Chinese oil companies that purchase Iranian oil. China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil.
"I'm not asking for any favors, because when you ask for favors, you have to return the favor," Trump told a reporter aboard Air Force One when asked whether Xi had made a firm commitment to pressure the Iranians to reopen the vital waterway.
What did Xi say?
Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump regarding Iran, although the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed frustration over the war with Iran, calling it a conflict "that should never have happened and has no reason to continue."
What happened before?
- It was previously reported that Iran allowed Chinese ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- According to the latest reports, at least six ships owned or operated by China have already passed through the strait.
- Ship-tracking data shows that a Chinese supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after being stranded in the Persian Gulf for more than two months due to the war in Iran, according to Reuters.
