Trump: spoke with Xi about lifting sanctions on Chinese companies that buy Iranian oil

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, May 15 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he discussed lifting sanctions on Chinese companies that buy Iranian oil during his visit to Beijing and will make a decision soon.

The U.S. recently imposed sanctions on several Chinese oil refiners for buying Iranian oil, including Hengli Petrochemical, one of the country’s largest private refiners and a symbol of Beijing’s drive to modernize and upgrade the industry.

“We talked about that and I’m going to make a decision over the next few days,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after leaving Beijing following his two-day summit with President Xi Jinping.

U.S. officials including Trump raised the possibility of China buying more American energy over the course of the summit, although Chinese readouts of the meeting made no mention of any deals.

Trump said his patience with Iran was running out and that he had agreed in talks with Xi that Tehran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and must reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He also said he was OK with Iran suspending its nuclear program for 20 years, but that there has to be a “real” commitment from Tehran.

 “Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them, it’s got to be a real 20 years,” Trump said.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Susan Heavey and Jarrett Renshaw; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Michelle Nichols)