PETALING JAYA: The agony continued for Malaysia in the men's singles when both Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh crashed out in the opening round of the Malaysian Masters on Wednesday (May 20).
Iran prepares new transit mechanism Tehran is moving to formalise its control over the strait with a “professional mechanism” to regulate shipping.
“The necessary fees will be collected for the specialised services provided under this mechanism,” Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, wrote on social media on Saturday. He said only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran would benefit, adding: “This route will remain closed to the operators of the so‑called ‘freedom project’.
” Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a Brics meeting in India on Friday that Tehran had received messages that the Trump administration was open to fresh talks, Agence France-Presse reported. Araghchi expressed deep scepticism over Washington’s intentions, but said Iran would take part if the US was serious and ready for “a fair and balanced deal”.
Meanwhile, Iran has appointed parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as a special representative for China to coordinate relations between the two countries, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday. However, Iranian state media reported on Saturday that more nations were seeking Iran’s permission to let their ships pass through the waterway. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting said ships from China, Japan and Pakistan had been allowed to pass through and “several European nations” were asking for similar permission.
On Thursday, Iranian authorities seized the Hui Chuan, a support ship owned by Hong Kong-registered Sinoguards Marine Security. It was the first known seizure of a private security vessel since the start of the war in late February. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Bloomberg Television on Friday that Chinese officials had made it clear that Beijing wanted the Strait of Hormuz to reopen without restrictions.
“It’s really important for China to have the Strait of Hormuz open, no tolling, no military control. That was clear from the meeting. So we welcome that,” he said. But a briefing from Foreign Minister Wang Yi the same day called for the strait to reopen as soon as possible – but did not address the issue of tolls.
Trump wrote on social media on Friday that military strikes against Iran were “to be continued! ” Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he also flatly rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal, saying if he disliked the first sentence of an offer, he “throws it away”.
But the spike in oil prices caused by the strait’s closure is damaging his approval ratings and CNN reported that Washington was divided over what the next move should be, with some arguing for more aggressive actions, including targeted strikes, while some others favour a continued focus on diplomacy.for a two-day visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the Middle East is likely to feature in his talks with Xi. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia had started discussions with neighbouring states on a potential non-aggression pact with Iran, modelled after the Cold War-era Helsinki Accords, the Financial Times reported.
The proposal follows a series of Iranian strikes on US allies in the region and the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on major oil producers, both of which highlighted the Gulf states’ vulnerabilities. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POSTSouth Korean oil tanker transits Strait of Hormuz
Strait Of Hormuz Trump And Xi Summit Iran Transit Mechanism Tehran Shipping Regulation Iranian Foreign Minister US-Iran Negotiations Commercial Shipping Disruption Iran-China Relations Seizure Of Hui Chuan US-China Diplomatic Tensions
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hormuz traffic rebounds to wartime average after record low; Iran formalises crossing tollLONDON, May 19 — Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was slightly higher last week, returning to levels in line with the average recorded since the start of the Middle East...
Read more »
Asian Shares Wobble, Oil Prices Crash After Trump's Iran Comment and Energy Shortages in HormuzA day after Donald Trump claimed there was a 'very good chance' of a nuclear deal with Iran and paused a planned attack, oil prices plummeted, causing a wobbliness in Asian shares.
Read more »
Trump cancels ‘planned’ massive strike on Iran inside Hormuz truce he declaredWASHINGTON, May 19 — US President Donald Trump said he was planning a major new assault on Iran on Tuesday, but held off as he saw hope for securing a so far elusive agreement to...
Read more »
South Korean oil tanker safely transits the Strait of Hormuz, first passage since Iran war beganA South Korean oil tanker successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, the first passage by a South Korean vessel through the waterway since the Iran war began. The tanker was hit by airborne objects near the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire in the engine room. Tehran denied responsibility for the attack.
Read more »