China can continue to buy Iranian oil, U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday (June 24, 2025) in what appeared to be relief for Tehran from sanctions Washington has previously imposed to punish the trade, AFP reported.

"China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S., also," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform as he travelled to a NATO summit in The Hague.

China's position as the main buyer of Iranian oil has served as a crucial lifeline for Tehran as its economy is battered by crippling international sanctions.

Beijing buys more than 90% of Iran's oil exports, according to the analysis firm Kpler, according to AFP.