U.S. President Says He Discussed Lifting Sanctions on Chinese Firms Buying Iranian Oil with China President

AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he had discussed the possible lifting of sanctions on Chinese companies buying Iranian oil during his visit to Beijing, adding that he would make a decision in the near future.

The United States recently imposed sanctions on several Chinese oil refiners over purchases of Iranian crude, including Hengli Petrochemical, one of China’s largest private refiners and a key example of Beijing’s efforts to modernise and upgrade its energy sector.

"We talked about that and I'm going to make a decision over the next few days," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after leaving Beijing following his two-day summit with President Xi Jinping.

U.S. officials, including President Trump, raised the possibility of China increasing its purchases of American energy during the course of the summit, although Chinese readouts of the meeting made no reference to any agreements.

President Trump said his patience with Iran was running out and that he had agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping in talks that Tehran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and should reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He also said he would be open to Iran suspending its nuclear programme for 20 years, but stressed that any such move would require a “real” commitment from Tehran.

"Twenty years is enough, but the level of ⁠guarantee from them, it's got to be a real 20 years," Trump said.

Source: Reuters 



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