What happens next in Iran after Trump and Xi fail to agree plan to end war?

WorldPolitics
15 May 2026 • 9:46 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

What happens next in Iran after Trump and Xi fail to agree plan to end war?

  • Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to agree on a concrete plan to end the conflict in Iran during Trump's highly anticipated visit to Beijing.
  • Despite initial hopes that China, a powerful ally of Tehran, could help broker a peace agreement, no breakthrough was achieved during the 48 hours of bilateral meetings.
  • Trump stated that both leaders concurred Iran must not possess nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open, claiming they had 'settled a lot of different problems'.
  • However, the lack of a definitive peace blueprint was underscored by Trump's subsequent post on Truth Social, suggesting the 'military decimation of Iran' could 'be continued'.
  • China, while calling for a ceasefire and free transit through the Strait of Hormuz, has reportedly reached a deal with Iran allowing its oil tankers to pass for a limited toll.

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