US PRESIDENT Donald Trump claimed today that the Iran war could end soon, bringing a resumption of oil and natural gas shipments, though he threatened fresh military action if Tehran failed to accept a reported peace offer.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” he wrote on social media.

According to US news website Axios, the Trump administration has sent a one-page memorandum on ending the war for Iranian officials to review, with provisions including a moratorium on uranium enrichment by the Islamic Republic, a lifting of US sanctions, the distribution of frozen Iranian funds and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to ships.

Mr Trump wrote that it was “perhaps a big assumption” that Iran would agree to the US terms.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a comprehensive ceasefire in the war and said his country, which has close economic and political ties to Tehran, was “deeply distressed” by the conflict.

He spoke after a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was in China’s capital for the first time since the US and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28.

“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Mr Wang said.

Mr Araghchi’s visit to China took place ahead of a planned visit by Mr Trump to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14-15.

Elsewhere, French military spokesman Colonel Guillaume Vernet said that his country’s aircraft carrier strike group was moving south of the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea as part of a French-British plan for the Strait of Hormuz.

The Hormuz coalition, including more than 50 nations in total, will not begin operating until the threat to shipping eases, Col Vernet said.

It is distinct from the US Project Freedom mission, which was launched on Sunday and paused by Mr Trump on Tuesday night.

Underlining the continuing danger to ships, a cargo container vessel operated by the CMA GGM Group was attacked and damaged while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the French shipping company said today.

Multiple crew members were injured in the attack on the CMA CGM San Antonio, the company said. The injured crew were evacuated and are receiving medical treatment.