White House clarifies Trump’s comment on China buying Iranian oil

US President Donald Trump’s declaration on Tuesday that China “can now continue” to buy Iranian oil did not signal a change in Washington’s policy on banning such trade, the White House said.

Trump’s earlier comments about the China-Iran oil trade were made to highlight the continuation of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane that appeared threatened by the escalation of conflict in the Middle East following the US military’s air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to a White House official.

“The president was simply calling attention to the fact that, because of his decisive actions to obliterate Iran’s nuclear facilities and broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz will not be impacted, which would have been devastating for China,” the official said in an emailed response to the Post.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that “China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran”, adding: “Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the US, also. It was my Great Honor to make this happen!”

Concerns that the Israel-Iran conflict might halt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose after the US entered the fray early on Sunday. The waterway serves as a critical energy trade conduit, especially for Asia.