Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that China could now resume purchases of Iranian oil after the United States carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend. He also encouraged Beijing to buy “plenty” of oil from the United States.
“China can now continue to purchase oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S., also,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The announcement came shortly after Trump declared that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, following U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. He criticized both countries for what he described as early violations of the newly established truce.
Earlier in his second term, which began in January, Trump had revived his “maximum pressure” policy on Tehran, reimposing stringent sanctions over Iran’s nuclear activities and its support for militant groups across the region. These sanctions included targeting Chinese “teapot” refineries and port operators involved in Iranian oil imports.
While official lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil would require action from the Treasury and State Departments, as well as Congress, the Trump administration could opt to relax enforcement, potentially increasing the flow of Iranian oil into global markets.
China, the world’s largest importer of Iranian oil, has consistently criticized Washington’s use of what it calls unilateral and illegal sanctions. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s statement.
Analysts warn that increased Iranian oil imports by China or other countries could strain ties with Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally and the world’s top oil exporter.
The State Department referred requests for comment to the White House, which has yet to respond.
