Strait of Hormuz Dispute Heats Up

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE/DUBAI, May 16 (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed that Iran must reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz. However, China has offered no indication that it will actively intervene in the escalating situation.

Speaking to reporters while returning from Beijing after two days of discussions with Xi, Trump indicated he is contemplating the possibility of lifting U.S. sanctions on Chinese oil companies that purchase Iranian oil, a significant portion of Iran's oil exports. China is notably the largest buyer of Iranian crude.

"I'm not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return," Trump stated when questioned by a journalist on Air Force One about whether Xi had provided a firm commitment to pressure Iran into reopening the vital shipping lane.

Xi himself remained silent on his discussions with Trump regarding Iran. Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry issued a statement criticizing the conflict, describing it as a situation "which should never have happened, has no reason to continue."

'We Want the Straits Open'

Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that previously handled a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the commencement of U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. The resulting disruption to global shipping has triggered the most severe oil supply crisis in history, leading to a surge in oil prices.

Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, announced on Saturday that Tehran has developed a mechanism for managing traffic through the strait along a designated route, which is expected to be revealed soon. Azizi specified that only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran would benefit from this mechanism, with fees being collected for specialized services provided.

The U.S. paused its attacks last month but subsequently imposed a port blockade. As of Saturday, the U.S. military reported that 78 commercial ships had been rerouted and four disabled to ensure compliance with the blockade.

Tehran, which launched retaliatory strikes against Israel, U.S. bases, and Gulf states following the war's initiation, has declared it will not unblock the strait until the U.S. lifts its blockade. President Trump has warned of resuming attacks if Iran does not agree to a resolution.

"We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon, we want the straits open," Trump declared in Beijing, standing alongside Xi.

Iran has consistently denied intentions to develop nuclear weapons and has refused to halt nuclear research or surrender its hidden stockpile of enriched uranium.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Tehran has received communications from the U.S. suggesting Washington's willingness to continue diplomatic talks. Pakistan has been acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. The Iranian news agency Nournews reported that Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni held "detailed" discussions with his visiting Pakistani counterpart regarding Iran-Pakistan relations and the potential for resuming peace talks, though specifics were not disclosed.

Trump Expresses Growing Impatience

In an interview with Fox News' "Hannity" program aired on Thursday, Trump expressed his dwindling patience with Iran, urging Tehran to "make a deal."

Oil prices climbed approximately 3% to around $109 a barrel on Friday amid concerns over the lack of progress in resolving the ongoing conflict.

Negotiations aimed at ending the war, which has become a political liability for Trump ahead of the U.S. congressional elections in November, have been stalled since last week when both Iran and the U.S. rejected each other's latest proposals.

Araqchi indicated on Friday that Iran would welcome Chinese involvement, adding that Tehran was attempting to pursue diplomatic channels but lacked trust in the U.S., citing previous rounds of talks that were disrupted by U.S. airstrikes.

When the U.S. and Israel initiated their attacks on Iran in late February, one of their stated objectives was to weaken the government, potentially leading to its overthrow by the Iranian populace. However, there has been minimal evidence of organized dissent within Iran during the war, and human rights organizations report a severe crackdown by the government on its opposition.

Iran's judiciary announced on Saturday that 39 individuals had been executed for collaborating with Israeli or U.S. spy agencies, or for involvement in "terror" activities or armed unrest since the war began, according to the judiciary's news agency Mizan. The report also stated that 36 "medium-level" dissidents had received lengthy prison sentences.