US petrol prices hit highest level in years – as it happened

This blog is now closed. Our full report is here: Trump puts Project Freedom' on hold, saying he hopes to finalise a deal with Iran

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is travelling to Beijing later today for talks with his Chinese counterpart on bilateral relations and regional and international developments", his ministry said on its Telegram account.

While Beijing condemned the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran which started the war in late February, China has largely adopted a posture of neutrality ever since and has urged for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.