Trump, Xi, and Putin to meet in China amid Iran war and nuclear talks

A senior US official, speaking to the Associated Press, said that President Donald Trump plans to discuss the war against Iran with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during an upcoming meeting in Shenzhen, China. The official also said the meeting is intended to serve as the "beginning of hopefully a conversation" on nuclear disarmament "that can be productive going forward," though no agreements are expected to be announced.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that any potential agreements in Shenzhen could not be imposed on other countries. He said the global order must be based on "mutual benefit and mutual respect," rather than attempts to impose a particular vision on others. The prospect of the meeting comes amid criticism from Beijing and Moscow over Washington's repeated acts of unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic, in collaboration with the Israeli regime.

According to Press TV, the latest round of aggression prompted Tehran to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the adversaries and their allies' use of the waterway to either target Iranian soil or impose illegal vessel traffic through the chokepoint. The closure has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, prompting fuel prices to skyrocket and forcing China to release substantial quantities of its oil reserves to stabilize energy markets.

The meeting is to come months after the expiration of the New START treaty in February, ending restrictions on the US and Russian nuclear arsenals for the first time in more than half a century. Trump has rejected Moscow's proposal to extend the agreement for another year. The report by Mehr News added that the talks are seen as an opportunity to address broader security concerns, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.