AS IT HAPPENED: Ship turned around at US blockade; Israel and Lebanon hold rare talks; Talks with Iran could resume this week; Trump slams Italian PM and says pope 'has no idea'

Thanks for joining us for another day covering the Middle East conflict, where the United States' blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continued.

Here are the key events from today, April 15:

- US President Donald Trump claimed the war with Iran was "close to over" in an interview with Fox News, saying Iran wanted to make a deal "very badly". He also claimed in a separate interview that if he were not the president, the world would "fall to pieces".

- US Central Command claimed the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was being "fully implemented" after just 36 hours, saying the country now had "maritime superiority" in the Middle East.

- Closer to home, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a Joint Statement on Energy and Food Security with Brunei, which he says will help keep the flow of fuel and fertiliser coming into Australia.

- Virgin Australia joined Qantas in cutting flights and raising costs, citing the soaring price of jet fuel.

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog says "very detailed" measures to verify Iran's nuclear activities must be included in a potential US-Iran agreement to end their war in the Middle East.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said in Seoul on Wednesday that "Iran has a very ambitious, wide nuclear program so all of that will require the presence of IAEA inspectors".

Us President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a second round of talks with Iran could happen over the next two days.

The Trump administration has said preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon is a key war aim.

Iran has said it isn't developing such weapons, but rejected limits on its nuclear program.

As the fallout over the Iran war deepens, China is portraying itself as a responsible world leader, juxtaposed against President Donald Trump's unpredictable foreign policy.

In comments to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping declared that "the world today is rife with chaos, as it faces a showdown between justice and power," according to a statement from China's foreign ministry.

"How a nation treats international law and the international order reflects its worldview, its concept of order, its values, and its sense of responsibility," Xi said.

Chinese officials have for weeks worked the diplomatic circuit calling for peace in the war. Trump even suggested that China helped get Iran – a close diplomatic partner – to the negotiating table in recent weeks.

After US-Iran peace talks failed in Islamabad last weekend, China's top diplomat spoke to his Pakistani counterpart on Monday, stressing that Beijing is willing to continue to work toward peace.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have both called for a return to the "freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Hormuz.

After being blocked off by Iran, the crucial waterway, where one-fifth of the world's oil passes through, the Strait of Hormuz is now being blockaded by the United States.

When asked about the blockade and how it would end, Albanese said there were "discussions taking place" on the matter.

"We have said that we want the Strait of Hormuz to be open and we've been signatory along with other countries to statements along those lines.

"We want safe passage of trade that is in Australia's interest, where a trading nation, one in four of our jobs is dependent upon trade."

Wong supported Albanese's statement, adding she had joined a meeting with 40 countries earlier this week after the blockade was announced.

"We continue to engage as the deputy prime minister has made clear, with the United Kingdom, with France, with all countries including the US, in terms of making sure post the conflict, we can see a return to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," she said.

The prime minister is taking questions, and has reaffirmed his stance that there has been no overall impact to Australia's fuel supply, despite some deliveries being cancelled.

"We've made very clear and transparently, there were six ships that were cancelled for April that were due to arrive and of those, they have been replaced by nine," Anthony Albanese said.

"We continue to monitor on a regular basis and we are doing what we can right across the board to shield Australia as best as we can from the impact of this global action. But we're not immune from it."

Foreign Minister Penny Wong also spoke in Brunei, warning Australians that even if the Middle East conflicts end soon, its impacts will still be felt after the strikes stop.

"What this visit is about is recognising the challenges that the world faces and the region faces as a consequence of the conflict in the Middle East and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz," she said.

"Even if the ceasefire does return and we do call for that, that global supply pressures will continue for some time."

She said the prime minister's tour of Asia was an important step to help negotiate partnerships that will help Australia navigate the coming economic storm.

Speaking in Brunei after signing a joint statement with the South East Asian nation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagged there could be more trade between the two countries as a result.

The Prime Minister visited a fertiliser processing facility in Brunei this morning, and said he was impressed by what he saw.

"[There is] potential for an increase in Australia receiving fertiliser in particular from Brunei, and we had very positive discussions," he said.

Albanese said Australia gets nine per cent diesel and 11 per cent fertiliser-grade urea imports from Brunei.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said deals such as the one signed with Brunei this afternoon are good for both Australia and its important Asian allies.

He said the Joint Statement on Energy and Food Security, agreed today with Brunei, and last week's Joint Statement with Singapore on fuel and LNG supply, have underscored the federal government's approach to dealing with the fuel crisis that has grown from the Middle East conflict.

"We strengthen our fuel security and we strengthen our economy," Albanese said of the deal signed today.

"We strengthen the economies in our region as well."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Australia has signed a Joint Statement on Energy and Food Security with Brunei.

Albanese is currently speaking to the media in Brunei. We will have updates from the press conference as soon as they come in.

In an exercise of humility, Donald Trump has claimed the world would be "torn to pieces" if he weren't the president of the United States.

ABC News USA journalist Jonathan Karl interviewed the president and shared some insights, including the bold declaration in a post on X.

"If I weren't president, the world would be torn to pieces," Trump reportedly told Karl.

Karl claimed Trump told him that he "wasn't thinking about extending the ceasefire", with the president telling Karl, "I think you're going to be watching an amazing two days ahead."Karl added, "I asked if the war ends with a deal, or 'do you just say, look, we knocked out their capability and that's it?"

"Trump: 'It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild. They really do have a different regime now. No matter what, we took out the radicals. They're gone, no longer with us.'"