BEIJING, May 6 (Reuters): Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began a meeting with his ​Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi in Beijing on , state news agency Xinhua said.

Araqchi's one-day trip comes a week ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's scheduled visit ​to Beijing for a summit with President ​Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.

Earlier this ⁠week, the U.S. and Iran launched new attacks in ​the Gulf as they wrestled for control over ​the Strait of Hormuz with duelling maritime blockades, threatening what was already a fragile truce.

Trump later said the U.S. Navy ​would help ships pass through the strait. But ​that operation was paused after Trump on Tuesday said there had ⁠been "great progress" made toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

There was no immediate reaction from Tehran.

The Iranian foreign minister said the Monday attacks, taking place after ​he said ​Tehran was looking ⁠into Trump's request for negotiations, showed there was no military solution to the ​crisis.

Beijing, while maintaining a broadly neutral position ​on ⁠the conflict, has opposed the attacks on Iran's sovereignty and also facilitated mediation efforts.

China has repeatedly urged ⁠the ​U.S. and Iran to maintain ​the ceasefire and lift the restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Photo from Reuters