Trump says Iran war could end before his China trip

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that there is a "very good chance" of making a deal with Iran before he travels to China.

“I think we'll have a very good chance of making a deal again,” Trump told PBS, adding that while reaching a settlement before next week would be “ideal,” it is not a requirement. Trump’s state visit to China is set for May 14 - 15 in Beijing.

The president warned, however, that if negotiations fail, Washington would "go back to our old ways," a reference to resuming a heavy bombing campaign.

Trump said it is "unlikely" he would send envoys for final discussions, but hinted that a formal signing ceremony could take place at an undecided location if the sides reach an agreement.

Terms of potential deal

Trump said an agreement must involve Iran transferring its highly enriched uranium stockpile directly to the US and require Tehran to cease operations at its underground facilities.

He said Iranian enrichment freeze limiting 3.67 enrichment would be "not part of the deal."

While Trump expressed optimism that a resolution is "getting very close," he maintained a sharp warning: "If they agree, it's over, and if they don't agree, we bomb." The president explicitly rejected reports that the deal would allow Iran to maintain 3.67% enrichment, stating that those provisions are not part of the current framework.

Financial pressure, China

Regarding economic enforcement, Trump noted that a successful deal would lead to "lightening up on Iran with sanctions," which would eliminate the need to target Chinese banks for purchasing Iranian oil. He suggested that if the conflict concludes, there will be "not much to bring up" regarding the oil trade during his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social earlier Wednesday, Trump stated that if Tehran complies with the agreed-upon terms, the war would end. He added that the current naval blockade would be lifted, allowing the Strait of Hormuz to be "open to all, including Iran."