Iran’s Araghchi holds talks with China’s Wang Yi in Beijing

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, amid tensions with the United States in the Strait of Hormuz.

Araghchi’s one-day trip on Wednesday comes a week ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled ⁠visit to Beijing for a summit with President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported the meeting between Araghchi and Wang has begun, without providing further details.

It was the first time since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran that Araghchi has travelled to China, a close ally of Tehran. The pair had spoken by telephone at least three times following the start of the war.

Earlier in Washington, DC, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate to Tehran the need to release its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital waterway for global energy.

Iran closed the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, after the war began, sending prices of fuel and fertiliser skyrocketing and rattling the global economy.

Following a ceasefire in April, the US imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports in a bid to compel Tehran to agree to Washington’s terms in peace talks mediated by Pakistan, including halting all nuclear enrichment.

Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, said two things will be front and centre on the agenda of Araghchi and Wang’s meeting – maintaining the ceasefire and also reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

“We know that China has been very critical of the US’s naval blockade on Iranian ports, calling it dangerous. But increasingly, Beijing has also been critical of the of Iran’s decision to continually close that vital choke point,” Yu said.

Wang is expected to speak to Araghchi about what kind of support China can continue to offer Iran if it continues to close the strait.

“Iran will need Chinese backing, for example, at the United Nations, to continue to block any action that would put any additional sanctions on Iran because of its closure of the strait,” Yu said. “Reportedly, the Iranian foreign minister is looking for clarity from Beijing as to what it will put on the table when Xi meets with Trump, and whether Beijing will be making any concessions to Washington that could make Tehran nervous.”

China, in return “wants its own assurances that Iran won’t act in any escalatory way or any dramatic fashion in the lead up to that very important meeting,” she added.

Araghchi and Wang’s meeting came as Trump announced a pause on a US military operation to escort ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz out of the waterway. The effort – which began on Monday – ratcheted up tensions with the US military claiming it sunk several Iranian boats that attempted to interfere.

The United Arab Emirates also reported coming under new missiles and drones attacks from Iran, with one assault sparking a fire at a major oil refinery. Tehran denies the allegation, however.

Trump said the move was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran”.

Pakistan has been leading efforts for a peace deal between Iran and the US.

The two sides held direct talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but the negotiations ended without an agreement. Key sticking points include US demands for Iran to halt all nuclear enrichment and Tehran’s wish to continue to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz.