US president also says he could again strike Iran if progress on ceasefire is not made within ‘days’.
United States President Donald Trump says Chinese leader Xi Jinping has assured him that Beijing would not send weapons to Iran during the ongoing war.
The statement on Tuesday came after Trump returned from his three-day visit to China last week, after which the US president hailed several trade agreements but made no major breakthrough on the US-Israel war on Iran.
It also came as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived for his own visit to China, continuing a longstanding strategic partnership with Beijing that has long caused disquiet in Washington. Moscow has also, for years, provided weapons to Iran.
“President Xi has promised me that he’s not sending any weapons to Iran. That’s a beautiful promise. I take him at his word,” Trump told reporters during an event at the White House ballroom construction site.
He added that Xi wants the Strait of Hormuz open “like me”.
Trump and his top officials had sent contradictory messages before the president’s visit to China, suggesting that they hoped Beijing would use its influence over Iran to help reach a more lasting ceasefire while simultaneously playing down the idea that the war would be a major topic of discussion with Xi.
There has been little indication since the meeting that China, which has largely avoided more involvement, would take a more active role.
Trump spoke shortly after he lodged a new threat against Iran, saying in a social media post that the “Clock is Ticking” to reach a more lasting ceasefire beyond the ongoing pause in fighting that has persisted since April 8.
On Monday, Trump said he had put a “hold” on a planned attack.
He said he made the decision at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, adding, “Serious negotiations are now taking place.”
Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim News Agency also reported on Monday that Iran has submitted a revised 14-point peace plan to end the war although details were not immediately made public.
Trump discussed the planned attack on Iran on Tuesday, telling reporters he was “an hour away from making the decision to go today”.
Trump said he agreed to give Iran a few “days” to return to negotiations.
“Maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something, maybe early next week, a limited period of time,” he said.
“We may have to give them another big hit. I’m not sure yet,” he added.
For his part, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, Ebrahim Azizi, maintained that Trump was motivated not by negotiations but by fear over Iran’s response to a new attack.
He said a new US attack would mean “facing a decisive military response and unified nation”.
“Power is the only language he understands,” he added.
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