Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met this morning with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
At that meeting, Wang will have told his colleague that the Chinese were very worried of the conflict in the Persian Gulf and that a “comprehensive ceasefire” was necessary. The conflict must not flare up again.
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran over two months ago. With attacks on cargo ships and threats of attacks, shipping through the strait has been almost completely stopped, but under normal circumstances, about a fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait, as well as other important products and supplies.
The conflict has had a great economic impact in many parts of the world, but experts say that it has the most in Asia, since most of the oil sold from the Persian Gulf is sold there.
China buys oil from Iran, but the US has stopped its flow. The US government has also encouraged the rulers of China to put increased pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to the New York Times.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that he hoped Wang would tell Araghchi that it was necessary to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He said the shutdown is coming down to China like anyone else.
“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to hear, which is that what they’re doing is isolating them on the international stage,” Rubio said of Araghchi.
Paused operations in the Strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, declared last night that a pause had been made in the American operations in the Strait of Hormuz, which were aimed at trying to open the strait for the navigation of cargo ships. The success of those operations was very limited, but they also lasted a short time.
Two ships were sailed through the strait, but at a press conference in the US Department of Defense yesterday, it was stated that it was believed that around 1,550 ships were stuck in the Persian Gulf.
In a post about the delay, Trump said he was complying with the request of Pakistan and others, and said he made the decision in light of the progress made in talks with Iranian officials.
They say they have never been close to an agreement
So far, US and Iranian diplomats have met only once. Pakistan has come to the talks as an intermediary, but has not been able to reach an agreement on a new meeting.
Trump stated that Iran will remain in a military position, but the Americans have for some time stopped a ship that has sailed from Iran, and in this way they want to increase economic pressure on the rulers of Iran.
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Axios White House sources say that there people believe that an agreement with Iran could be reached in the coming days. The Americans are waiting for answers from Iran’s leaders on their latest proposals, and believe they have never been closer to a deal since the conflict began.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s friend and his special envoy, and Jard Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and his second special envoy, are said to have drafted a document with fourteen proposals in talks with Iran, through officials in Pakistan.
These proposals are said to include, among other things, that Iran stop enriching uranium, for how long has not yet been determined, and that the United States repeal trade sanctions and give Iran access to billions of dollars it has frozen.
Then the Americans would stop holding Iran hostage and the Iranians would open the Strait of Hormuz again.
