WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will hold extensive discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Iran during their two-day summit in Beijing.
Trump insisted the US does not need any assistance in dealing with the situation, with the war remaining in an indefinite ceasefire for more than a month, but acknowledged the issue would be a major topic during his engagements with Xi.
“We’re going to have a long talk about it. I think he’s been relatively good, to be honest with you. You look at the blockade, no problems. They get a lot of their oil from that area. We’ve had no problem, and he’s been a friend of mine,” Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for Beijing.
.@POTUS on Iran negotiations: “We’re going to see what happens. We’re only making a good deal… I believe that one way or the other, it’s going to be very good for the American people—and I think actually, very good for the Iranian people.” pic.twitter.com/t6y8bCjpk5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 12, 2026
Asked about Pakistan’s role as a mediator, Trump said Islamabad had played an important and constructive part in the negotiations between the US and Iran.
“They’re great. I think the Pakistanis have been great. The Field Marshal (Syed Asim Munir) and the Prime Minister (Shehbaz Sharif) of Pakistan have been absolutely great,” Trump said.
.@POTUS departs for China, where he’ll make the first state visit by a U.S. President since his last visit in 2017 🛫 pic.twitter.com/qAJaTsKL8r
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 12, 2026
China remains by far the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil, accounting for nearly 90% of Iran’s total oil sales, according to data from the Windward maritime intelligence group.
Beijing has increasingly shown a willingness to openly defy US sanctions on Iranian oil sales. Earlier this month, China instructed companies to ignore US sanctions imposed on five Chinese refineries accused of facilitating Iran’s oil trade.
President Trump said he will have a long talk with Chinese President Xi about the war in Iran during his upcoming trip to China, but added that he does not think he needs Xi’s help https://t.co/RKrpH2XY9u pic.twitter.com/dy9eEOHe4b
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 12, 2026
Asked whether Xi needed to intervene with Iran, Trump dismissed the suggestion.
“I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other. We’ll win it peacefully or otherwise,” he said.
Trump is travelling to China as the Iran war remains unresolved, with diplomatic efforts to end the conflict currently at a standstill. Beijing continues to maintain close ties with Iran and remains a major buyer of Iranian oil exports.
The US president has been urging China to use its influence to push Tehran toward reaching an agreement with Washington and ending the conflict that began when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February.
Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday ahead of talks set for Thursday and Friday. The visit marks his first trip to China since 2017.
Later, Trump again downplayed the importance of Iran in his discussions with Xi.
“We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn’t say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control,” he told reporters.
Earlier Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Pakistan to intensify mediation efforts and help “properly” address issues related to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency.
Wang made the remarks during a phone call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as Islamabad continues efforts to arrange a second round of direct talks between Washington and Tehran.
The two diplomats stressed the importance of maintaining a “durable” ceasefire between the US and Iran and ensuring normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
Pakistan had earlier brokered a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran on April 8, followed by critical talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 attended by senior delegations from both countries. However, both sides failed to reach a final agreement to formally end the war.
Since then, Washington and Tehran have continued exchanging proposals and counter-proposals in an effort to find common ground and resume a second round of direct negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, which has already disrupted global energy supplies and affected daily life across the region.
