Xi says he hopes US and Iran reach agreement on nuclear issue
The remark, carried by CCTV, comes during Xi's state visit to Washington, where talks have covered trade, security and technology.
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Xi said he hopes the United States and Iran can reach an agreement on the nuclear issue, CCTV reported. The comment came during Xi's state visit to Washington, where discussions have spanned trade, security and technology. Ahead of a state dinner during the same visit, Xi told Trump that competition between China and the US should not be about winning or losing.
Washington and Tehran have been discussing a phased deal that would lift the US blockade and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to people familiar with the talks. But signs of strain persist. The UAE's Civil Aviation Authority has suspended flights by Iranian airlines to and from the UAE, and the US Treasury has said 80 to 90 percent of Iranian external flights are already grounded. An Israeli source has said Israel will strike Iranian nuclear sites again if Tehran crosses red lines.
Oil markets have already priced in a stalled negotiation. Brent crude has risen to $105.38 a barrel after Iranian airlines cancelled flights to the UAE and talks over the Strait of Hormuz showed no sign of progress.
Xi's remark carries symbolic weight given the broader engagement between Washington and Beijing, but it offers little concrete movement. With flights grounded, Israel warning of further strikes and the Strait of Hormuz talks stalled, the statement reads as diplomatic positioning rather than a shift in near-term Middle East risk.