Trump says he is losing patience with Iran after talks with China's Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out after he discussed the costly and unpopular war with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

The White House said Trump and Xi had agreed during talks in Beijing on the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane open. Iran effectively shut the waterway in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks, opens new tab which ‌began on February 28, causing an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies. China is close to Iran and the main buyer of its oil.

The U.S. paused its attacks on Iran last month but began a blockade of the country’s ports. Talks aimed at ending the conflict have stalled with Iran refusing to end its nuclear program or relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium.

“I am not going to be much more patient,” Donald Trump said in an interview aired on Thursday night on Fox News’ “Hannity” program. “They should make a deal.”

On the key issue of Iran’s hidden stockpile of enriched uranium, Donald Trump suggested it only ​needed to be secured by the U.S. for public relations purposes.

“I don’t think it’s necessary except from a public relations standpoint,” Trump said in the interview.

“I just feel better if I got it, actually. But it’s, I think, it’s ​more for public relations than it is for anything else.”

China’s Xi signals trade progress as ‘biggest summit’ with Trump begins

In the latest incidents on the trade route, an Indian cargo vessel carrying livestock from Africa to the UAE was sunk on Wednesday ⁠in waters off the coast of Oman.

India condemned the attack and said all 14 crew members had been rescued by the Omani coast guard. Vanguard, a British maritime security advisory firm, said the vessel was believed to have been hit by a missile or ​drone which caused an explosion.

Separately, British maritime security agency UKMTO reported on Thursday that “unauthorised personnel” had boarded a ship anchored off the coast of the UAE port of Fujairah, and were steering it towards Iran.

Vanguard said a company security officer had reported that “the vessel was taken ​by Iranian personnel while at anchor.”

Almost nine years to the day since Llore Pasco’s sons were killed in anti-drugs campaigns in the Philippines,

After talks between Trump and Xi on Thursday, the White House said the leaders had agreed that the strait should be open and that Xi made clear China’s opposition to the militarisation of the strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use.

Donald Trump said Xi also promised not to send Iran military equipment. “He said he’s not going to give military equipment, that’s a big statement,” Trump said on “Hannity”.

Xi also expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s future dependence on the strait and the leaders agreed that Iran should never obtain nuclear weapons, ​the White House readout said. Tehran has denied seeking such weapons.