Trump Says Patience With Iran Running Out After Meeting With Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out after holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. Trump made the comment as a ship was reported seized by Iranian personnel off the United Arab Emirates.

The White House said the two leaders agreed during the meeting on the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane open. Trump inspected a guard of honor during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Chinese leader Xi Jinping described the summit as a milestone that has forged a new bilateral relationship.

The discussions occurred against the backdrop of a costly and unpopular war. Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks which began on Feb. 28. The closure caused an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies.

China is close to Iran and remains 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. Iran has refused to end its nuclear program or relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Xi discussed the situation in the region during their meeting in Beijing. The White House statement highlighted agreement on maintaining open shipping lanes. This comes as multiple nations face higher energy costs from the disruption. Iranian officials have not commented publicly on the latest ship seizure report. The incident occurred off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Attacks between the U.S., Israel and Iran began on Feb. 28. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil transport. The move has affected energy markets worldwide. The U.S. later paused direct attacks but imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.