Trump expects Xi, Putin talks on Iran war at APEC summit
File photo: REUTERS
US President Donald Trump expects to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin next week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China.
Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, he said, “One of the meetings, I think, will be with President Putin and President Xi. And that’ll be interesting. We’ll talk a lot of things, including denuclearisation. But we’ll be talking a lot of things. We’re trying to end the war in Iran, and we’re doing well because, you know, all we have to do, we’re choking it off.”
Outlining ongoing military actions, Trump confirmed that Operation Iron Gate - a US mission disrupting Iran’s land supply routes - has gone into effect.
Elaborating on the economic and logistical pressure on Tehran, he said, “That means nothing comes in by land. And as you know, the naval blockade, nothing comes in by water.” Founded in 1989, APEC comprises 21 member nations, including Australia, Canada, Japan, China, Russia, and the US, whose leaders convene every year.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a sharp reaction to a recent CBS News interview in which Trump linked the Republican Party’s election defeat in part to voters’ dislike of Israel.
Writing on social media platform X, Araghchi said, “POTUS clearly recognizes that the vast majority of Americans are disgusted with Israel. Strikingly, he seems confused about why that’s the case.”
Offering his explanation for the diplomatic tension, he added, “Americans are evidently sick and tired of Israel bamboozling US administrations into Forever Wars. They had enough. So has our region.”
Source: Al Jazeera (adapted)
