Germany’s defence minister Boris Pistorius has said it was “foreseeable” that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, as the transatlantic rift over the Iran war deepens.
"It was foreseeable that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, including Germany," Mr Pistorius said in response to the decision.
The US president announced he was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Nato ally Germany following a war of words which erupted when German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran and questioned its exit strategy from the war.
On Thursday, Mr Trump said his German counterpart has been “totally ineffective” in helping end the Ukraine war and should focus on “fixing his broken Country”.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has declared he is “not satisfied” by the peace deals offered by Iran.
The Iranians are “trying to make a good deal [for them] and we’re not going to let that happen,” he added. “They've got to make a bad deal. Maybe we're better off not making a deal at all”.
Read MoreTrump is now dealing with an irate, tough Germany. Here’s why
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Key Points
- 'Foreseeable' that US would withdraw troops, says German defence minister
- White House considers Iran war 'terminated'
- Briefing: What we know on the 63rd day of US-Israel war on Iran
- Trump receives high-level briefing on fresh military options against Iran - report
- Trump administration claims hostilities 'terminated' ahead of war powers deadline
- Iranian president says US blockade of ports ‘doomed to fail’
Trump and Hegseth argue Iran war ceasefire stops the clock on 60-day deadline for congressional war powers approval
11:45 , Alex CroftJust hours before a crucial deadline, the Trump administration argued the war in Iran has been effectively “terminated” under the ongoing ceasefire, which, the claim also stops the clock on a crucial deadline for congressional approval of ongoing actions in the conflict.
Under the War Powers Resolution, President Donald Trump faced a 60-day clock — expiring Friday, May 1 — to either end the war in Iran or secure congressional approval to continue. Now, a senior administration official tells the Associated Press the U.S. and Iran haven’t exchanged fire since April 7, and that the hostilities have been “terminated.”
A U.S. official also told Reuters: "For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28, have terminated.”
Trump administration argues Iran war effectively ‘terminated’
Bulk carrier reports suspicious approach off coast of Yemen, UKMTO says
11:42 , Alex CroftA bulk carrier reported a suspicious approach by a skiff accompanied by a fishing vessel on Saturday, 84 nautical miles southwest of the port of Mukalla on the southern coast of Yemen, Britain's maritime security agency UKMTO reported.
We’ll bring you more on the incident as it comes in.
Iranian peace proposal would open Strait of Hormuz and end US blockade, says official
11:03 , Alex CroftAn Iranian proposal so far rejected by Donald Trump would open shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and end the US blockade of Iran, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday.
It would leave talks on Iran's nuclear programme for later, they added/
Four weeks since the United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran, no deal has been reached to end a war that has caused the biggest disruption ever to global energy supplies.
Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf apart from its own for more than two months. Last month the US imposed its own blockade of ships from Iranian ports.
Trump said on Friday he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest proposal, without spelling out in detail which elements he opposes.
Trump says 'blast the hell out of them' in Iran an option
10:30 , Alex CroftDiscussing a Thursday briefing with Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, Donald Trump said the US had just two options in Iran.
“I mean, do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever? Or do we want to try and make a deal? I mean, those are the options," he said.
Asked if he wanted to pursue the former, Trump said: "I'd prefer not. On a human basis, I'd prefer not, but that's the option."
Trump said he believed Iran's leadership had made some progress towards unifying around a resolution.
“They've made strides, but I'm not sure if they ever get there," he said.
“There's tremendous discord, they're having a tremendous problem getting along with each other in Iran."
What does the US troop withdrawal mean for Germany?
10:08 , Alex CroftThe US military presence in Germany began as an occupation force after World War Two.
It reached its peak during the 1960s when hundreds of thousands of American military personnel were stationed there to counter the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The US presence includes the giant Ramstein airbase and Landstuhl hospital, both of which have been used by the US to support its war in Iran, as well as previous conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Pentagon decision means one full brigade will leave Germany and a long-range fires battalion that was due to be deployed later this year will be cancelled.
The loss of the long-range fires will be a particular blow to Berlin, as it had been due to form a significant extra element of deterrence against Russia while Europeans developed such long-range missiles themselves.
Could your summer holiday be in peril due to a jet fuel crisis? Here’s why you don’t need to panic — just yet
09:37 , Alex CroftCould your summer holiday be in peril? That’s a concern shared by many travellers this weekend, after reports that the UK is more exposed to a shortage of jet fuel than anywhere else in Europe.
Earlier this week, the prime minister even suggested people may have to change “where they go on holiday”. Yet Britain’s airlines continue to insist they are not seeing any shortages.
So what is the prospective holidaymaker to make of it all? Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, has multiple flight bookings of his own for the coming months – and takes a look at what it all means.
Read more here:
Could your summer holiday be in peril? Here’s why you don’t need to panic just yet
Watch: Trump says he thinks it’s 'treasonous' to say US is not winning war in Iran
09:01 , Alex Croft'Foreseeable' that US would withdraw troops, says German defence minister
08:56 , Alex CroftEuropeans must take greater responsibility for their own security, German defence minister Boris Pistorius has said, in response to the announcement of plans to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany.
"Germany is on the right track" in this regard, Mr Pistorius said.
He noted the expansion of its Bundeswehr armed forces, greater and faster procurement of equipment and the construction of infrastructure.
Berlin recently unveiled a military strategy which envisages Germany holding Europe’s strongest military by 2039.
"It was foreseeable that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, including Germany," he said.
Tehran executes two men accused of spying for Israel, Iranian media reports
08:41 , Alex CroftWe’re hearing reports in Iranian media that Tehran has executed two men accused of spying for Israel, including one accused of gathering intelligence near the Natanz nuclear site in central Isfahan province.
Reports quote the judiciary as saying Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bakarzadeh were hanged after being found guilty of intelligence cooperation with Israel and its spy agency, Mossad.
They said Karimpour passed sensitive information to a Mossad officer, while Bakarzadeh was accused of collecting details on government and religious figures and key sites, including in the Natanz area.
All the airlines cancelling flights and adding extra charges amid jet fuel crisis
08:20 , Arpan RaiBudget airline Spirit Airlines is reportedly on the verge of collapse, after failing to secure crucial financial backing from the government.
Like many airlines, Spirit is grappling with intense pressure from soaring fuel costs, which have roughly doubled since the outbreak of the Iran war. Without a government bailout, these escalating expenses are rapidly depleting Spirit’s remaining cash reserves.
The struggling carrier had been engaged in negotiations with the Trump administration for a $500 million rescue package. However, these efforts have stalled, as Spirit was unable to garner the necessary support from its bondholders and other government stakeholders, sources familiar with the situation informed the Wall Street Journal on Friday.
All the airlines cancelling flights and adding extra charges amid jet fuel crisis
Trump mulling prolonged naval blockade of Iran
08:00 , Arpan RaiWith his next steps uncertain and no clear endgame, Donald Trump has in private meetings raised the prospect of a prolonged naval blockade of Iran, possibly for months more, aimed at further squeezing off its oil exports and forcing it to reach a denuclearisation agreement, a White House official said on condition of anonymity.
At the same time, he has left the door open to resuming military action.
The US Central Command has prepared options for a "short and powerful" series of strikes as well as for taking over part of the strait to reopen it to shipping, Axios reported on Thursday.
European diplomats said their governments, whose relations with Trump have been strained by the war, expect the current situation with Iran to persist.
"It's hard to see how this will end soon," said one, speaking on condition of anonymity. Iran has remained defiant.
It has exerted powerful leverage against the US and its allies, triggering an unprecedented energy supply shock by choking off shipping in the strait, where tanker traffic flowed freely before the war, carrying a fifth of the world’s oil.
Analysts say Iran will be emboldened knowing that it will have this weapon at its disposal even after the war.
“Iran has realised that, even in a weakened state, it can shut off the Strait at will,” said Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
“That knowledge leaves Iran stronger than it was before the war."
Two executed in Iran over spying charges
07:55 , Arpan RaiIran has executed two people over alleged charges of espionage for Israel, its state media reported this morning.
The two individuals were also accused of intelligence gathering near the Natanz nuclear site, the media reports said.
Trump orders US to pull thousands of troops out of Germany after row with Merz
07:39 , Arpan RaiThe United States will withdraw 5,000 troops from Nato ally Germany, the Pentagon announced on Friday, as a rift over the Iran war widens between Donald Trump and Europe.
Mr Trump had threatened a drawdown in forces earlier this week after sparring with German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said on Monday the Iranians were humiliating the US in talks to end the two-month-old war.
A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said recent German rhetoric had been "inappropriate and unhelpful".
"The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks," the official said.
Trump orders US to pull thousands of troops out of Germany after row with Merz
How war on Iran has failed to achieve Trump's goals
07:30 , Arpan RaiThe US and Israel war on Iran has failed to achieve many of Donald Trump's stated goals, experts have pointed out.
While there is little doubt that waves of US and Israeli strikes heavily degraded Iran’s military capabilities, many of Trump’s often-shifting war objectives – from regime change to shutting Iran's path to a nuclear weapon – remain unfulfilled.
Fears for a more protracted deadlock have grown since Trump called off a trip by his negotiators to Islamabad last weekend and then dismissed an Iranian offer to halt the war, suspended since 8 April under a ceasefire agreement.
Tehran proposed setting aside discussion of its nuclear program until the conflict is formally ended and a deal is reached on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. That was a non-starter for Trump, who has demanded the nuclear issue be dealt with at the outset.
A failure to wrest the vital oil-shipping waterway from Iranian control at the conclusion of the conflict would be a major blow to Trump’s legacy.
“He’d be remembered as the US president who made the world less safe,” said Laura Blumenfeld, a Middle East expert at Johns Hopkins University in Washington.
At least 14 Revolutionary Guard members killed after leftover bombs explode - report
07:00 , Arpan RaiAn explosion of leftover bombs from strikes during the US-Israeli war against Iran killed 14 members of the Revolutionary Guard, Iranian media reported Friday.
A report by the Nournews website, believed to be close to Iran's security apparatus, said the explosion happened near the northern city of Zanjan, northwest of Tehran.
It was the largest number of Revolutionary Guard members reported to be killed since the ceasefire began on 7 April. The report said the ammunition included cluster bombs and air mines dropped during the fighting.
New report claims majority of US bases in the Middle East were damaged by Iran
06:45 , Arpan RaiA new report released by CNN on Friday found that at least 16 of the 19 U.S. military installations across the Middle East have been damaged in Iranian retaliatory strikes.
A source speaking to CNN said that they’d “never seen anything like this before.”
“These are rapid, targeted strikes with [advanced] technology,” the source reportedly told the network.
Trump explains why he is 'not satisfied' by Iran's new peace proposal
06:30 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has said he's 'not satisfied' with Iran's latest proposal in negotiations to end the war.
"They want to make a deal, I'm not satisfied with it, so we'll see what happens," Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday.
Asked about what he sees as the proposal's shortcomings, Trump said, "They're asking for things I can't agree to."
The president said negotiations have continued by phone after he called off his envoys' trip to Pakistan last week. He expressed frustration with Iran's leadership, which he described as fractured.
"It's a very disjointed leadership," he said. "They all want to make a deal, but they're all messed up.”
Trump is now dealing with an irate, tough Germany. Here’s why
06:15 , Arpan RaiThe US president and the German chancellor have locked horns. Spain has shunned Washington. The Nato alliance is more fragile than it has ever been.
Western powers are determined to see off Russian military “hard” power; they are familiar with “soft power” operations to undermine democracies. But how to deal with the Kremlin’s relationship with Donald Trump is now an emergency.
Working out a response to internal frictions within Nato has become a conundrum, not only for leaders in the alliance but for the military officials who have to figure out how to keep the military machine operational.
A weakened Nato serves only the interests of the enemies and rivals of the West.
Top of the list of beneficiaries is Vladimir Putin, but China will enjoy the latest spats between Trump and Germany’s Friedrich Merz almost as much.
Trump is now dealing with an irate, tough Germany. Here’s why
Spirit Airlines appears closer to a shutdown as time dwindles for a government bailout
06:00 , Arpan RaiCash-strapped Spirit Airlines appeared closer to a shutdown after Friday came and went without a needed government bailout.
President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration had given the budget carrier a “final proposal” for a taxpayer-funded takeover to keep it from going under, but the absence of a deal put the airline's future in doubt.
A person familiar with the matter said preparations were being made for a Saturday shutdown. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose confidential information. There was no immediate word from Spirit Airlines or the Trump administration.
Spirit Airlines appears closer to a shutdown as time dwindles for a government bailout
Trump says 'blast the hell out of them' in Iran an option
05:46 , Arpan RaiDiscussing a Thursday briefing with Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, Donald Trump said the US had just two options in Iran.
“I mean, do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever? Or do we want to try and make a deal? I mean, those are the options," he said.
Asked if he wanted to pursue the former, Trump said: "I'd prefer not. On a human basis, I'd prefer not, but that's the option."
Trump said he believed Iran's leadership had made some progress towards unifying around a resolution.
“They've made strides, but I'm not sure if they ever get there," he said.
“There's tremendous discord, they're having a tremendous problem getting along with each other in Iran."
Trump: 'You cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon'
05:34 , Arpan RaiOn Friday, President Donald Trump told a crowd in Florida that “you cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon,” insisting that Tehran would immediately use it against Israel and others.
“They would use it on a place called Israel very quickly, and they would use it in the Middle East, and they’d use it in Europe. And I guess we’d be next.”
.@POTUS: "You cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon — because they would use it on a place called Israel very quickly, and they would use it in the Middle East, and they would use it in Europe, and we'd be next. And it's NOT going to happen." pic.twitter.com/GISUcpDvnR
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2026
Watch: Trump says he thinks it’s 'treasonous' to say US is not winning war in Iran
05:25 , Arpan RaiWhat are Trump’s options for Iran after ‘final blow’ briefing?
05:15 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump reportedly received a briefing from the military’s top commanders on Thursday on options to restart military operations against Iran in a bid to force the regime into making a deal to end the war.
As his administration insisted the fragile ceasefire arrangement had successfully “terminated” hostilities between the two sides, conversations behind closed doors turned back to bombing Iran, according to insiders.
Sources with knowledge of the discussions told Axios that US Central Command has drawn up a plan for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran, likely including infrastructure targets.
Other options reportedly under consideration were taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz in an operation that could see the deployment of ground forces.
What are Trump’s options for Iran after ‘final blow’ briefing?
New report claims majority of US bases in the Middle East were damaged by Iran
05:10 , Arpan RaiA new report released by CNN on Friday found that at least 16 of the 19 U.S. military installations across the Middle East have been damaged in Iranian retaliatory strikes.
A source speaking to CNN said that they’d “never seen anything like this before.”
“These are rapid, targeted strikes with [advanced] technology,” the source reportedly told the network.
US Treasury warns shippers not to pay Hormuz tolls, even in form of charity
05:05 , Arpan RaiAny shippers paying tolls to Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organisations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, are at risk of punitive sanctions, the US Treasury warned on Friday.
Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels passing through the Strait, as part of proposals to end the war with Israel and the United States.
The advisory, from Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, said the US is aware of Iranian threats to shipping and demands for payments to receive safe passage through the Strait.
The warning came as Iran sent its latest proposal for negotiations with the US to Pakistani mediators, a move that could improve prospects for breaking an impasse in efforts to end the Iran war.
OFAC said demands may include several payment options, including fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments, such as nominally charitable donations made to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Bonyad Mostazafan, or Iranian embassy accounts.
“OFAC is issuing this alert to warn US and non-US persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage," it said.
"These risks exist regardless of payment method."
At least 14 Revolutionary Guard members killed after leftover bombs explode - report
05:04 , Arpan RaiAn explosion of leftover bombs from strikes during the US-Israeli war against Iran killed 14 members of the Revolutionary Guard, Iranian media reported Friday.
A report by the Nournews website, believed to be close to Iran's security apparatus, said the explosion happened near the northern city of Zanjan, northwest of Tehran.
It was the largest number of Revolutionary Guard members reported to be killed since the ceasefire began on 7 April. The report said the ammunition included cluster bombs and air mines dropped during the fighting.
Trump rejects Iran's new proposal for negotiations
04:56 , Arpan RaiOn Friday, Iranian state news agency IRNA said Tehran had sent its latest proposal for negotiations with the US to Pakistani mediators. Trump swiftly rejected it.
The president formally notified Congress of the conflict 48 hours after the first airstrikes two months ago, starting the 60-day clock that ends 1 May.
As the date approached, congressional aides and analysts said they expected the Republican president to sidestep the deadline.
A senior Trump administration official had said on Thursday the administration's view was that the war powers law deadline did not apply.
Trump said he considered the war powers law unconstitutional. Both Republican and Democratic presidents have contended the measure violated the Constitution because it sets limits on the president's powers as commander-in-chief.
Legal experts say the matter has not been decided by the courts.
"We had a ceasefire, so that gives you additional time," Trump said before leaving Washington for Florida.
Trump claims US has destroyed '85 percent' of Iran's missile manufacturing power
04:48 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters in Florida that the US military has destroyed “85 percent” of Iran’s missile manufacturing capacity, and “most” of the nation’s drone capacity.
“But again, their military - they have some missiles left. They have some missile making capacity left. We've knocked out about 85 percent of their manufacturing capacity for new missiles,” he said.
“We knocked out most of their drone making factories, but they have some drone capacity left.”
Trump says US could leave Iran 'today' but he wants to 'do it totally right'
04:45 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump told a crowd in Florida that the US could leave Iran “today” but he wants to stay to “do it totally right.”
“We could leave [Iran] right now, right now. If we left right now, it would take them 20 years, 25 years, to rebuild the place. But we're not doing it because we have to do it totally right,” he said.
Trump says he 'didn't know' he'd be using the military in his second term, but said 'certain things' must be done
04:41 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump took credit for rebuilding the military and said he did not know he’d be using it as much during his second term.
“I rebuilt the military in my first term, and I didn't know I'd be using it as much my second term, but we have certain things have to be done,” he said.
Trump says US military 'sort of like pirates' on seizure of Iranian naval vessel
04:22 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has likened the US military to “pirates” while describing the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship that tried to bypass the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
“We took over the cargo. Took over the oil, a very profitable business. Who would have thought we were doing that were like pirates,” Trump said. “We're sort of like pirates. But we're not playing games.”
Trump on US Navy Seizing Ships:
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 2, 2026
It’s a very profitable business. We’re like pirates. pic.twitter.com/erWDQmJWnw
Trump says Iran is the 'only country' where no one wants to be the leader
04:21 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump told a crowd in Florida that Iran was the “only country” where no one wanted to be the leader.
“The only country in the world no nobody wants to be a leader. You know, they say, they say, ‘would anybody like to be president?’ And there are no takers,” Trump said.
Iran does have a president. Masoud Pezeshkian has led the nation since his election in 2024.
The US president later said the US military had eliminated multiple “tiers” of Iran’s leadership, leaving him unsure as to who to negotiate with.
“That's the problem because we are trying to figure out the right one to talk to,” Trump said.
Trump: 'You cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon'
04:19 , Arpan RaiOn Friday, president Donald Trump told a crowd in Florida that “you cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon,” insisting that Tehran would immediately use it against Israel and others.
“They would use it on a place called Israel very quickly, and they would use it in the Middle East, and they’d use it in Europe. And I guess we’d be next,” he said.
.@POTUS: "You cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon — because they would use it on a place called Israel very quickly, and they would use it in the Middle East, and they would use it in Europe, and we'd be next. And it's NOT going to happen." pic.twitter.com/GISUcpDvnR
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2026
Saudi liquor store runs short because of Iran war bottleneck
04:18 , Arpan RaiSaudi Arabia's only official alcohol shop has run short of supplies ranging from beer and wine to tequila, as the disruption caused by the Iran war has delayed shipments, visitors to the store said.
Situated in Riyadh's diplomatic district, the shop, which has no name and no sign, opened in 2024 to serve non-Muslim diplomats and last year expanded to cater for wealthy non-Muslim foreign residents.
Officially Saudi Arabia's 1952 blanket ban on alcohol remains in place, but the ultra-conservative kingdom has allowed one licensed shop as it tries to lure more expatriates.
For now, however, the shelves are mostly bare, with only expensive or little-known brands on offer, five people who have visited the Riyadh shop in recent days said.
One Western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was no white wine and "only a few bottles of super expensive red".
"They also got a shipment of random beer," the diplomat added.
Trump says he's dealing with 'brutal' people in Iran
04:17 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump, speaking at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches in Florida, said he was dealing with “brutal” people in the “lovely country of Iran”.
He then joked that the Iranians could not find anyone to be their president following US attacks on the nation.
Trump complains that the US received "zero" help from Nato for the war in Iran
04:16 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump complained on Friday that the US received “zero” help from Nato for the war in Iran.
“We got no help from Nato. We got no help – zero – from Nato. You know, we spend trillions of dollars on Nato, and we got no help,” he said.
Trump made the comments during his visit to The Villages in Florida on Friday.
“We didn’t need it,” Trump said. “But we got none.”
He made the comment on the same day the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered 5,000 US troops to leave US bases in Germany.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We got ZERO help from NATO for Iran. We spend trillions of dollars on NATO and we got no help. pic.twitter.com/oayOfCpbbX
— Department of State (@StateDept) May 1, 2026
Trump says suggesting the US is losing the war in Iran is 'treasonous'
04:10 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump told a group of his supporters on Friday that saying the US is losing the war with Iran is “treasonous.”
Trump made the comment during a rally at The Villages in Florida.
“We get the radical left to say, ‘We’re not winning, we’re not winning.’ They don’t have any military left. It’s unbelievable. It’s actually, it’s actually, I believe it’s treasonous, okay. You want to know the truth – it’s treasonous,” Trump said.
President Trump says he thinks it’s “treasonous” to say we’re not winning the war in Iran. pic.twitter.com/4F0EgkiBRZ
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 1, 2026
China says urgent need to maintain Iran war ceasefire
04:10 , Arpan RaiChina's UN ambassador Fu Cong said on Friday it was an urgent necessity to maintain the Iran war ceasefire and that he was sure the Strait of Hormuz issue would be high on the agenda if it is still closed when US president Donald Trump goes to China this month.
Fu told reporters at the United Nations the strait needed to be reopened as quickly as possible. He said China was very concerned about remarks it had heard recently about the ceasefire being temporary and the need to initiate another round of attacks.
"Iran needs to lift its restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US needs to lift its naval blockade," he said.
"The most urgent issue is to keep the ceasefire. And the ceasefire needs to last, and there has to be a good-faith negotiation between the two sides," he said.
"I think the international community should be mobilized and raise our voices against the resumption of fighting."
Asked about president Donald Trump's visit to China scheduled for this month, he said: "I'm sure if Hormuz is still closed by the time president Trump goes to China, this issue will be high on the agenda of the bilateral talks."
Fu also rejected allegations from some US officials about military cooperation between China and Iran as "false."
Fu was briefing at the start of the month-long Chinese presidency of the UN security council and said Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi will chair a session of the council on 26 May.
The US state department did not respond immediately when asked if there were plans for US secretary of state Marco Rubio to meet Wang while he was in the US.
Trump says US will not leave Iran early, wants to avoid 'problem' reappearing
04:08 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump on Friday said the United States would not exit its confrontation with Iran early "and then have the problem arise in three more years".
Briefing: What we know on 64th day of Iran war
04:02 , Arpan Rai- US president Donald Trump has said that he is “not satisfied’ with the deals presented to him by Iran and questioned if 'maybe we're better off not making a deal' with Tehran.
- Pentagon officials estimate the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has cost Iran $4.8bn in lost oil revenue.
- China’s top envoy to the UN has said it is an urgent necessity to maintain the Iran ceasefire and that he is sure the Strait of Hormuz issue will be high on the agenda if it is still closed when Trump visits Beijing this month.
- Trump has once again complained that the US has received “zero” help from Nato for the war in Iran.