Trump Says Xi Jinping Pledged China Will Not Send Weapons to Iran
Al Jazeera Staff
President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him Beijing would not send weapons to Iran. Trump also threatened to resume strikes on Iran if no ceasefire progress is made within 'a few days.'
President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that Beijing would not send weapons to Iran amid the ongoing conflict. The statement came Tuesday, following Trump’s three-day visit to China last week.
Speaking at an event at a White House construction site, Trump said: “President Xi promised me that he is not sending any weapons to Iran. That’s a beautiful promise. I take him at his word.” Trump also stressed that the Chinese leader wants to keep the Strait of Hormuz operating smoothly, aligning with the U.S. position.
The disclosure comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin also visited China, strengthening the long-term strategic partnership with Beijing, which has caused concern in Washington. Moscow has supplied weapons to Iran for years.
Before Trump’s trip to China, senior U.S. officials had sent mixed signals, both hoping Beijing would use its influence with Iran to achieve a longer ceasefire and downplaying the war’s importance in the agenda with Xi. However, there has been no sign that China, which has largely avoided deeper involvement, will take a more active role.
Trump Threatens to Strike Iran Again
On the same day, Trump issued a new threat against Iran, writing on social media that “time is running out” to reach a lasting ceasefire, rather than the temporary truce that has been in effect since April 8. On Monday, Trump had said he “paused” a planned attack at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, adding that serious negotiations were underway.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump revealed he was “only an hour away from making the decision to strike today.” He said he had agreed to give Iran a few days to return to negotiations: “Maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or early next week, within a limited timeframe.” Trump warned: “We may have to hit them with another big one. I’m not sure yet.”
For Iran, the chairman of the parliamentary National Security Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, insisted that Trump was driven not by negotiation but by fear of Iran’s reaction to a new attack. Azizi said a new U.S. attack would “face a decisive military response from a unified nation,” stressing “power is the only language he understands.”
