Iran War Stalls as Trump and Xi Fail to Agree on Peace Plan at Beijing Summit

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to reach a concrete agreement on ending the ongoing war in Iran during their high-stakes summit in Beijing. The two-month conflict, initiated by US and Israeli attacks in late February, has devastated the Middle East and disrupted global trade. While Trump claimed both leaders shared goals of preventing Iranian nuclear weapons and keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, no actionable peace blueprint was established. Trump subsequently suggested that military operations against Iran could continue, signaling a diplomatic stalemate. China, Iran's primary economic ally and largest oil importer, opposed the militarization of the waterway and any tolls on shipping, despite reports of a separate deal allowing Chinese tankers to pass through the strait under limited conditions. The failure to secure Chinese leverage over Tehran leaves the region in limbo, with diplomatic efforts stalled and the strategic waterway remaining a point of contention. The summit concluded without the breakthrough many had hoped for, extending the uncertainty surrounding the conflict's resolution.