Trump: China Offers Help on Iran
US President Donald Trump has signaled that China is willing to help push negotiations with Iran, as Washington seeks a diplomatic path to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The statement came as a merchant vessel was reportedly seized near the United Arab Emirates, adding to uncertainty over control of the strategic shipping lane.
Trump, who is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, said Xi offered assistance—although this has not been explicitly confirmed by China. A White House official said Trump and Xi agreed the Strait of Hormuz should be opened to support the free flow of energy, while Trump said Xi would not provide military equipment to Iran and wanted to “see a deal.”
The latest security incident comes from a report by UK Maritime Trade Operations that a commercial vessel was apparently seized by unauthorized personnel and taken about 38 nautical miles off the UAE coast toward Iran. This incident comes as the number of ships passing through the strait appears to be increasing, after its effective closure since late February disrupted energy markets and triggered global supply shortages.
From Iran, the semi-official Fars news agency reported that several Chinese vessels would pass through the strait after discussions with the Chinese Foreign Ministry and would be allowed passage according to “Iranian management protocols.” Iranian state television also reported that more than 30 vessels had been allowed through the strait since Wednesday evening, citing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval officials. Separately, it said ten vessels carrying oil, fuel, and gas had successfully passed through since Sunday, an increase compared to previous weeks.
The US has not commented on the movement of vessels through the Persian Gulf chokepoint and remains unwilling to lift its blockade of Iranian ports. A US-Iran ceasefire in effect since April 8 has generally held, but negotiations are reportedly stalled because Iran refuses to reopen Hormuz without the US naval blockade ending, demanding the release of billions of dollars in assets and the lifting of sanctions.
Oil prices were relatively stable on Thursday, with Brent trading around US$105 per barrel after falling 2% in the previous session. Oil prices have risen nearly 50% since the war began, and the IMF has warned of the risk of slowing global growth. Looking ahead, the market will monitor the consistency of ship flows through Hormuz, concrete signals about China's role in diplomacy, and security dynamics in the region following reports of Iranian military capabilities and an escalation in incidents against shipping. (gn)
Source: Newsmaker.id
