Trump Rejects Claims of Iran Involvement Ahead of Xi Talks

2026-05-13

Emphasizes no need for China’s help on Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump departed on the 12th for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Before leaving, he told reporters at the White House that he needed “no help at all” with efforts to end the fighting with Iran.

The U.S.-China summit is scheduled for the 14th and 15th. Trump signaled he was putting the Iran issue behind him ahead of the negotiations, stressing that China should not think it had leverage over him.

Hard line on Iran talks

Trump said, “There are plenty of things to discuss, but Iran can’t be one of them,” and claimed, “We have Iran completely under control. It’s either a deal or total destruction.”

He also said, “They [China] are buying a lot of oil from that region, but we have no problem at all.” He did not say exactly how he would break the deadlock in talks to end the fighting with Iran, saying only, “We’ll see. I’ll think about it on the plane.”

He repeated his previous view that blocking ships entering and leaving Iranian ports is working, and rejected any compromise on the nuclear issue, saying, “Iran must not have nuclear weapons. We don’t play games.”

Concern over spillover into U.S.-China talks

Before the meeting, the Trump administration had hoped China would urge Iran to stop blocking the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced hope for Chinese involvement at a press conference on the 5th.

At the same time, Trump appeared to be trying to settle the Iran issue to some extent before meeting Xi, projecting strong leadership and seeking an advantage in the U.S.-China negotiations. He had also suggested he might secure a pledge from Iran not to possess nuclear weapons, but Iranian officials reportedly rejected that in a proposal presented on the 10th.

The U.S. side appears keen to keep the core trade talks separate from the Iran issue, fearing China may demand concessions in return.

Iran says it may raise enrichment if attacked again

Iran hardened its stance on the 12th. The speaker for the Iranian parliament warned on social media that if Iran is attacked again, it may raise uranium enrichment to 90%, a level considered weapons-grade.

As of 2025, Iran is said to possess 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. The United States bombed nuclear facilities that year, but the whereabouts of highly enriched uranium remain unknown. Raising enrichment from 60% to 90% is considered relatively easy.

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