Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:Reuters

US President Donald Trump recently said that China "can now continue" buying oil from Iran. This made people think the US had changed its rules, but the White House later explained that this was not true.

Trump was talking about how, thanks to his efforts, the Strait of Hormuz—a major path for oil ships—was not blocked during the recent fighting between Iran and Israel. He said his air strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and a ceasefire deal helped keep the shipping lane open.

The White House said Trump still wants countries like China to buy oil from the US instead of Iran, which is under US sanctions.

Tensions had grown after the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites, and Iran responded by attacking a US base in Qatar. Iran’s parliament even voted to block the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision is still pending.

Trump claimed that if a 24-hour ceasefire was held, the war could be considered “over,” though some fighting continued afterward. He even got frustrated and told Israel to stop attacking.

Now, things seem calmer. Both Iran and Israel have agreed to stop fighting for now. China is also involved, asking for peace and speaking to both Iran and Turkey.

China is Iran’s biggest oil customer. The US believes China sometimes hides the fact it’s buying Iranian oil, breaking the rules. Because of this, the US has punished some Chinese companies.