New attacks hit ships as Trump, Xi discuss Iran

Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, received a telephone call from Paulo Rangel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Portugal.
During the call, the two sides reviewed prospects for bilateral cooperation and ways to develop further partnership and trade opportunities, in a manner that serves the interests of both countries. They also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments, particularly those related to maritime security, the safety of global supply chains and the impact of current crises on international trade.
The two ministers stressed the importance of adhering to international law to ensure freedom of navigation, and the need to intensify international efforts to contain the escalation and prioritise political and diplomatic solutions that enhance security and stability and reduce the economic repercussions of the crises.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump discussed the Iran war with China's ​President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, while new attacks on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz brought a reminder of the costs of a prolonged stalemate, with peace talks stalled.
After Trump and Xi met, a White House official said the leaders had agreed that the strait should be open and that Iran should never obtain nuclear weapons.
In an interview with CNBC in Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he believed China would 'do what they can' to help open the strait, which he said was 'very much in their interest'.
But diplomacy to end the war has been on hold since last week when Iran and ⁠the United States each rejected the other's latest proposals, sticking to initial demands that each considers to be 'red lines'.
Iran has largely shut the Strait of Hormuz to ships ⁠apart from its own since the United States and Israel launched their bombing campaign two-and-a-half months ago, causing the biggest ever disruption to global energy supplies. The US paused the bombing last month but added a blockade of Iran's ports.
NEW DELHI MEETING
BRICS nations, including Iran and Russia, met in New Delhi on Thursday, where India warned of 'considerable flux' in a world hit by conflict, economic uncertainty and energy insecurity.
War in Iran and the related fuel crisis are dominating discussions in the two-day gathering.
India was hosting the foreign ministers from the expanded bloc that now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
'We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations,' India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said, in his opening speech, before closed meetings began.
Among the foreign ministers attending were Iran's Abbas Araghchi and Russia's Sergei Lavrov.
Araghchi, speaking in New Delhi, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz 'is open for all' commercial vessels who 'cooperate' with its navy.
'There is no such thing as a military solution to anything related to Iran,' Araghchi said. 'We Iranians never bow to any pressure or threat, but we reciprocate the language of respect.' SEE ALSO P4 & 5