US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (May 12th) that the United States does not need China’s help in dealing with Iran as he left for Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn before boarding Air Force One, Trump expressed confidence in the continued confrontation with Tehran and claimed that the US had already eliminated much of Iran’s military capabilities.
“I don’t think we need help with Iran and we’re going to win it one way or another,” Trump said.
“We will win this peacefully or else. The Navy is gone. Their Air Force is gone. Every single element of their war machine is gone,” he added.
Trump says Iran can’t get nuclear weapons
Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a non-negotiable goal for Washington.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
“They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. They know that. They agreed to that.”
The president also expressed confidence that the standoff with Tehran would eventually end in Washington’s favor.
“And either way, it’s going to work very well. It’s going to work very well,” he said.
Trump went on to claim that America’s blockade strategy against Iran has been a complete success.
“We beat their military very soundly. That’s it. The blockade is very effective. It was 100% effective,” Trump said.
The Iran issue is unlikely to dominate Xi Jinping’s agenda
Although Trump acknowledged that Iran was likely to come up during discussions with Xi, he downplayed its importance compared to other issues in the US-China relationship.
“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 a lot of control over Iran,” Trump said.
The remarks come after weeks of US pressure on Beijing to use its economic influence on Tehran to help de-escalate tensions and pressure Iran into negotiations.
Read also | The United Arab Emirates is secretly attacking Iran
Trump takes a positive tone towards Xi Jinping
Ahead of the summit, Trump struck a notably warm tone toward Xi, suggesting the meeting could yield positive results despite broader tensions between the two powers.
“He was a friend of mine. He was someone we get along with, and I think you’re going to see good things happen,” Trump said.
“It’s going to be a very exciting trip. A lot of good things are going to happen.”
Trade, technology disputes, Taiwan and broader geopolitical rivalries are expected to be at the fore during the talks in Beijing.
Oil markets and the Strait of Hormuz remain in the spotlight
Trump also addressed concerns surrounding oil markets and disruptions related to the Iran conflict.
“You’re going to have an oil rush like you’ve never had before,” he said.
“So when oil goes up a little bit, I thought it was going to go up a lot more.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important oil shipping routes, and tensions over Iran continue to raise concerns about global energy supplies and prices.
Read also | The US tied his bank to Iranian proxies. He is now Trump’s choice to run Iraq.
