Iran is finished, should make deal to end war: Trump after talks with Xi Jinping

Beijing: US President Donald Trump said Iran is "finished" and must either negotiate a deal to end the ongoing conflict or face destruction.

"Deal or annihilation for Iran," Trump stated during an interview with Fox News on the final day of his three-day trip to China. He emphasised that the US cannot “let Iran have a nuclear weapon."

"They're finished now; they can make a deal, or they will be annihilated," Trump said after in-depth discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on various issues, including Iran.

Trump was scheduled for one more meeting with Xi on Friday, followed by lunch before returning home, concluding his visit to China.

During the interview, Trump noted, “President Xi would like to see a deal between the US and Iran.” He added that Xi offered assistance, saying, 'If I could be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help.' Trump expressed his belief that China also does not want Iran to possess nuclear weapons.

Additionally, Trump mentioned that General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed him that the US could decisively neutralise Kharg Island in Iran in just “four or five minutes.” When pressed about China's support for Iran, Trump stated that the topic was discussed with Xi, who assured him that China "is not going to give military equipment" to Iran. China currently purchases 90 per cent of Iranian oil and maintains a strategic partnership with Tehran, including close military ties.

Trump described Xi as a “warm person” who is “all business.” He expressed his appreciation for this, saying, “I like that – that’s a good thing. No games.” He defended his positive remarks about his relationship with Xi, stating that he often faces criticism for praising certain leaders, but he respects Xi as a leader for China, a nation with nearly 1.5 billion people.

He called the military honour guard ceremony welcoming him “incredible,” adding, “If you went to Hollywood, you wouldn’t find that.” Trump reiterated that his approach to relations with China has been successful, saying, “We do great with China,” and noted the strength of his friendship with Xi. “He’s a tremendous leader. He’s been here a long time, very powerful, very strong. There’s no doubt about it. We just have a good relationship," he said.

Defending the military operations against Iran once again, Trump said they are much shorter than previous US conflicts, such as those in Vietnam and Iraq.

He stated that Iran's navy has been taken out and that they currently lack air force and anti-aircraft capabilities. “They built it up a little bit. We’ll take it out in one day,” he declared.

Trump, who brought top CEOs of US firms, including Tesla Chief, Elon Musk and head of Apple Tim Cook, said the business leaders did fantastically well.

He described the meeting with American executives as a “good idea” but noted it was different from the original schedule.

Trump also mentioned that he encouraged Xi to “buy oil” from the US, to which Xi responded that he “likes the idea.

“They’re going to go to Texas. We’re going to start sending Chinese ships to Texas, to Louisiana and to Alaska. And I think that was another thing that was agreed to. That’s a big thing,” he said.

He expressed a desire to see China open up its markets, stating, "It would be unbelievable for our companies if they open it, and I think it would be good for China too." Trump mentioned that Xi agreed to order 200 Boeing jets during their “very good meeting,” stressing, “Big ones. That’s a lot.” Additionally, he requested that China use Visa for trade and indicated that China is set to purchase a substantial amount of American agricultural products, which he described as “great.”