Trump Says Decision Is Coming on China-Iran Oil Sanctions

Trump said he will decide in the next few days whether to lift sanctions on Chinese oil companies that buy Iranian oil.

President Donald Trump said Friday he expects to decide in the next few days whether to lift sanctions on Chinese oil companies that buy Iranian crude, a move that could affect Washington’s pressure campaign against Tehran while the U.S. and China try to strengthen ties.

Asked aboard Air Force One after a visit to China whether he would consider easing the penalties, Trump said: “Well, we talked about that, and I’m going to make a decision over the next few days.”

The sanctions target an important channel for Iranian oil sales. Earlier this year, the U.S. sanctioned several independent Chinese refiners, often called “teapots,” that Washington found were importing Iranian oil. The April sanctions included Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, described in the source report as one of China’s largest such refiners.

Washington has sought to cut off Iranian revenue streams under Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign. The question of whether to ease sanctions comes as Trump has also expressed frustration with Iran over progress toward a peace deal. He said the U.S. supports Iran suspending its nuclear program for 20 years, but that any commitment would need a “level of guarantee.”

Iranian crude bound for Chinese teapot refineries is often transported through a shadow fleet of tankers that use deceptive practices, including disabling tracking systems and falsifying registration, to avoid detection. Some shipments involve multiple ship-to-ship transfers, sometimes in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Malacca, to obscure where the oil originated.

Trump’s China visit also included discussions on trade and the Iran war. Chip export controls were not included in the talks, while U.S. access to critical and rare earth minerals remains uncertain. Trump also told reporters he did not give Chinese President Xi Jinping a direct answer when Xi asked whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacked.

For now, the sanctions remain in place. The next signal will be whether Trump follows through with a formal decision — and whether any move to ease restrictions preserves U.S. pressure on Iran while addressing Chinese concerns.