Trump and Xi discuss Middle East war as Iran presses 7-day plan to end fighting
USO•At their summit, Donald Trump warned Xi Jinping against supporting Iran, while Tehran said it had sent Washington a seven-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt regional hostilities. Iran said the proposal requires the United States to lift its blockade on Iranian ports, release frozen funds and waive oil sanctions.
1. Iran’s seven-day proposal
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had conveyed a seven-day plan to Washington through Qatar. If the United States accepts, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and hostilities would end on all fronts, including Lebanon; Iran’s demands include lifting the US blockade on its ports, releasing frozen funds and waiving oil sanctions. A senior Iranian official said Iran would make no concessions on its nuclear program, including uranium enrichment or shipping highly enriched uranium out of the country.
2. Trump’s warning to Xi
Xi urged the United States and Iran to return to a June framework agreement and continue negotiations. Trump warned Xi that direct or indirect support for Iran was unacceptable, and US Ambassador to China David Perdue said China had assured the United States it was not providing such support. Washington had not publicly responded to Iran’s offer; a US official described discussions through mediators as positive and constructive.
3. Regional security concerns
The conflict has disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and spread across the region. Defense officials from Turkey and Pakistan met in Riyadh to discuss intelligence cooperation, military coordination and integrating forces, the Saudi defense ministry said. The United Nations children's agency reported rising acute malnutrition among children in Yemen.
