Iran, Trump threatens new bombings. Araghchi: 'Open to China mediation'

The Israeli army has announced that it is conducting attacks against Hezbollah in the Tiro region in south Lebanon, despite the ceasefire that has allegedly been in place for almost a month. Earlier, the IDF had stated in another statement that "explosive drones" launched by Hezbollah had fallen in northern Israel without causing casualties and had denounced a "new violation" of the terms of the ceasefire. These further attacks during the truce come on the heels of a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, described as "positive" by the US State Department.

Does the war on Iran stand to Trump as the attack on Yugoslavia stands to Hitler? The comparison is perhaps far-fetched, but the objective weakening with which the US president presents himself in Beijing is yet another example of the strategic error of dissipating energy in secondary efforts. In the German case, saving Italy's ally in dire straits in Greece delayed the invasion of the USSR by a month, jeopardising the Wehrmacht's chances of reaching Moscow before being stopped by mud and snow. In the US, the allies' embarrassment over the closure of Hormuz showed how the US could not fight alone on too many fronts.

With the final inflation figures for April Istat confirms the alarm raised by Codacons: the war in the Middle East, in terms of price and tariff increases, is generating a maxi-stangata of a total 23 billion euro on the pockets of Italian families.

According to Codacons calculations, in fact, a inflation rate of +2.7% translates, consumption being equal and considering the total expenditure of families, into an average fine of +€893 per year for the 'typical' family, which rises to +€1,233 per year for a household with two children: if we consider all Italian families, the total bill for the fine reaches €23 billion on an annual basis. For food expenditure alone, with prices in the sector rising by +2.9% over the year with peaks of +5.9% for unprocessed products, the increase in expenditure is equal to +185 euro for the typical family, +269 euro for a family with two children.

Taiwan, seen on a map, almost looks like a detail. An island just over 390 kilometres long, squeezed between the South China Sea and the western Pacific. It is little bigger than Maryland, to look at it through American eyes. In some places it takes only a few hours' drive to cross it from coast to coast. Yet it is there, squeezed between mountains, subtropical forests and hyper-technological cities, that a huge part of the world economy passes.

Donald Trump knows this, but so does Xi Jinping, who made it clear with some urgency during his meeting with his US counterpart that Taiwan is the most fragile (and dangerous) point in relations between the two countries. Because while the United States continues to rearm Taipei, on the Chinese side these moves are seen as interference.

The Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reports that theUnited States is expected to issue a statement today summarising the two rounds of negotiations held so far between Israel and Lebanon and announcing a pextension of the ceasefire, along with a 'statement of intent' on the continuation of the talks. The Times of Israel writes this. According to the newspaper, the declaration will focus on a gradual end to the Israeli presence in Lebanon, along with a full commitment by Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah. The newspaper also states that the US has discussed with Israel what it calls "general guidelines of a concrete plan" to be implemented with Lebanon, in the context of efforts to separate the Lebanese issue from a possible agreement with Iran.

The chief of staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, reportedly visited theUnited Arab Emirates during the war with Iran. According to public broadcaster Kan, Zamir was accompanied by other military officers. During the visit, Zamir met with Emirati officials, including President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Kan reports. The news comes after Israeli PM Netanyahu claimed on Wednesday that he had visited the UAE even during the war with Iran, a claimdenied by the UAE. It was also reported that the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad visited the Gulf nation during the war.

'China's doors to the world will open wider and wider'. Xi Jinping's promise passed through the Great Hall of the People with solemnity, coming straight to the leaders of Corporate America that Donald Trump brought with him on his mission to Beijing.

"US companies are deeply involved in China's reforms and opening-up, a process from which both sides have benefited," Xi said, according to Chinese state media reports. "China welcomes closer and mutually beneficial cooperation with the US and believes that US companies will have even broader prospects in China," Xi reiterated, to be even clearer, and to reassure everyone about the state of the Chinese economy.

India could become a mediator in the process of normalising relations between Iran and the Arab countries. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"India presides over the Brics. It is directly dependent on oil supplies, also from this region. Why not offer its good offices as the presiding country of the Brics, first of all invite Iran and the UAE to dialogue and prevent hostilities?" Lavrov told reporters after his visit to India and participation in the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Brics.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed the situation in the Middle East with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the Brics foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi.

"I had a detailed conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Delhi this morning," Jaishankar wrote on X. "We discussed the situation in West Asia and its implications."

US President Donald Trump, in a late-night interview on Fox News' "Hannity" programme, said that his patience with Iran is running out, after he had discussions yesterday with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war between the US and Tehran. "They should come to an agreement," the tycoon added, referring to the disagreements within the various Iranian powers. On the crucial issue of Iran's hidden stockpiles of enriched uranium, Trump downplayed. "I would actually feel better if I got them. But I think it's more of a public relations issue than anything else, though,' he said.

The last visit of Donald Trump to China, as the guest of Xi Jinping, was in 2017, during his first term. By contrast, the last meeting between the two leaders was in South Korea on 30 October 2025: in that case, the aim was to try to reduce the tension triggered by the trade war with US tariffs on Chinese products, and to avoid Beijing's counter-move, which threatened to strangle the global supply of rare earths. Much has changed since nine years ago, but much has also changed since last autumn. Trump is weakened by the war against Iran that has ended in limbo, by polls that see him always less popular at home, and also by US judges who have blocked his global strategy based on tariffs. The American president arrives in Beijing at a disadvantage and it is not surprising that under these conditions he aims first and foremost to reaffirm himself and his beliefs.

Indeed, in recent days the package of demands that the US shipping brings to its Chinese counterpart has been circulating, what analysts have called the 'Five Bs': Boeing, Beef, Board of Investment and Board of Trade. The "5 Bs" thus sum up Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft, US beef and soybeans, as well as the creation of a Board of Investment and a Board of Trade, these two bodies would define areas of economic exchange between the US and China that would not raise national security concerns. In particular, the Board of Trade would become a forum for discussion aimed at moving beyond blanket tariffs and using a different approach for non-strategic goods, with tariff reductions on trade worth tens of billions of dollars. More broadly, the '5 Bs' represent a US negotiating strategy that aims to rebalance trade with China outside the WTO dispute settlement system: it would allow Washington and Beijing to take advantage of WTO sluggishness to directly negotiate imports and exports and sector-by-sector terms.

Morning rises for oil prices. The European benchmark Brent rose 1.86% to $107.58 a barrel. Wti, the US oil, rose 2.27% to $103.44.

US President Donald Trump reported that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping talked about Iran.

China has reiterated that on the Iran crisis, dialogue and negotiation are "the right way", while military solutions "lead nowhere". This was stated by Beijing's Foreign Ministry in a note on the second day of talks in Beijing between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. "Now that the door to dialogue has opened, it should not be closed again," the statement read.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran's civilian nuclear facilities again if Tehran attempts to recover the uranium. "I told them that if they send their military to try to do something, recover the uranium, or if we see that somebody tries to do it, we'll just drop a couple of bombs and that'll be the end of it," Trump told Fox News.

In June 2025, the United States bombed Iranian civil nuclear facilities under the protection of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA.

China does not want Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and could exert influence on Tehran to facilitate a deal with the US. US President Donald Trump said this in an interview with Fox News during his state visit to China.

"I don't think China wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that the US will be able to obtain Iranian enriched uranium after the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities.

"We dropped bombs, every one of those bombs came down, the whole mountain collapsed on top of that site," Trump told Fox News. "At first they looked at it and said there's no way anybody could ever get to the nuclear powder, but I'd still rather have it. I'd rather get it. I would feel better about getting it, and we will get it." Trump added that the US might repeat bombings against Iranian nuclear facilities to make access to uranium impossible.

Further reading

Oil, so the IEA raises stockpile alarm: falling at record pace

13 May 2026

US President Donald Trump said during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Zhongnanhai that his military campaign against Iran 'will continue', hinting that he is seriously considering resuming attacks. CNN reports. Trump also added that Xi has pledged not to supply military equipment to Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the Iranian nuclear dossier with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Brics foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi.

"The parties exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue," the ministry indicated in a note.

China and the US want an end to the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz open and an Iran without nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump said this while addressing Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Zhongnanhai, Beijing.

"I think we discussed Iran. We think very similarly, right? We want it to end. We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the open strait," Trump said.