Iran FM Araqchi Meets China’s Wang Yi Before Trump
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- Iran foreign minister Abbas Araqchi met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing on May 6, his first trip since the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran triggered a historic oil shock.
- China urged all parties to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and praised Iran’s pledge not to develop nuclear weapons.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asked Beijing to join an international operation to keep the strait open ahead of President Trump’s May 14‑15 summit with Xi.
- Trump announced the U.S. Navy would escort commercial ships through the strait, but the operation was paused after “great progress” toward a comprehensive deal was reported.
- Wang Yi said the regional situation is at a “critical juncture of transition from war to peace,” emphasizing that a complete cessation of hostilities is imperative.
Why it matters: China, the world’s top crude importer, secures its oil supply; Iran hopes to lift the Hormuz blockade; the May 14‑15 Trump‑Xi summit will decide if naval escorts resume, influencing global shipping costs.
