China, Iran hold talks to discuss opening of Strait of Hormuz

Beijing: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi here amid mounting pressure on Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping and reach a deal with the US to end the war.

Araghchi's one-day visit comes a week ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned trip to Beijing from May 14 to 15 for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to discuss, among other things, a comprehensive trade deal.

Official media reports here said Wang and Araghchi, who is on his first visit to Beijing after the US-Iran war started, met to discuss the prevailing situation arising from the US blockade of Iranian ports to force Tehran to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

China is a close partner of Iran, and the biggest buyer of Tehran's crude oil.

Argachi's visit comes in the immediate backdrop of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's announcement on Tuesday that major US military operations against Iran are over.

Rubio told reporters at the White House that 'Operation Epic Fury', the attack the US and Israel mounted on Iran on February 28, has concluded because its objectives were met.

Rubio earlier urged China to tell Araghchi that Iran's actions are causing the country to be "globally isolated."

On Araghchi's visit to China, Rubio reiterated the need for Iran to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that caters to over 20 per cent of global oil and gas supplies.

"I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told. And that is what you are doing in the Strait is, causing you to be globally isolated," media reports quoted Rubio as saying.

"You're the bad guy in this", he said, adding that China, more than the US, is suffering from Iran's actions in the Strait as its export-driven economy depends on shipments going through Hormuz.

Rubio said it is in China's interest that Iran stop closing the Strait, and many countries want to help open Hormuz, but some cannot do so.

Both China and the US want to see an end to the war in West Asia before Trump's visit.

Beijing is also widely reported to have been helping Pakistan, which is currently mediating between the US and Iran to bring the conflict to an end.

Beijing, which shares close ties with other Gulf countries, is reportedly counselling Tehran to reach an agreement with Washington.

The US blockade of Iranian ports, strongly criticised by China, is putting pressure on Beijing to augment its energy supplies.