US President Donald Trump has pushed back his deadline for strikes on Iran's energy assets, saying talks on ending the war were "going very well" as Israel announced fresh strikes on Tehran early Friday.

As the conflict that has roiled energy markets nears its second month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said G7 nations should help push for the reopening of the crucial Strait of Hormuz, in remarks before arriving in France on Friday for a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers.

BEIJING, March 26 (Reuters) - China on Thursday urged parties to the Middle East conflict to "create conditions for starting truly meaningful and sincere peace talks".

"The pressing priority is to actively promote peace talks, seize the opportunity of peace and promote the cessation of the war," Lin Jian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a regular briefing when asked if China was aware of any ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States.

European lawmakers cleared the way Thursday for tougher penalties for irregular migrants and their potential deportation to so-called "return hubs" outside the bloc.

The measures, criticised by human rights groups, are part of a tightening of Europe's immigration rules in response to pressure across the 27-nation bloc to curb migration.

The European Parliament approved the package with support from centre-right and far-right groups in a 389 to 206 vote in Brussels -- bringing it a step closer to final approval.

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand, March 26 (Reuters) - A surge in diesel prices triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war onIran is pushing Thailand's multibillion-dollar fishing industry towards a standstill, with fishermen warning that their boats could be idled within days unless the government steps in.

At the country's largest fishing port in a central province along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, over half of the fishing trawlers are already docked and those still operating would likely stop work within days, said Jumpol Kanawaree, president of the Samut Sakhon Fishmonger Association.

Israel launched strikes across Iran on Thursday, hours after US President Donald Trump said Tehran wanted a deal to end the nearly four-week war despite its top diplomat rejecting any talks with Washington.

The conflict has mushroomed to draw in nations around the Middle East, sending energy markets into a tailspin and threatening to torpedo the global economy.

YAOUNDE, March 26 (Reuters) - Trade ministers will meet in Cameroon on Thursday for crucial discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization, as some diplomats and trade officials warn that without an agreement, countries may set trade rules outside the organisation.

The four-day gathering in Yaounde comes amid concerns over the impact of the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran on global trade, following a year of tariff turmoil triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump's weaponization of trade measures.

By Parisa Hafezi, Alexander Cornwell and Kanishka Singh

DUBAI/TEL AVIV/WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President ​Donald Trump said Iran was desperateto make a deal to end nearly fourweeks of fighting, contradicting the Iranian foreign minister who said his country was reviewing a U.S. proposal but had​no intention of holding talks to wind down the conflict.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said while there had been no dialogue or negotiation with the U.S., various messages had been exchanged through intermediaries.

VAUX-DE-CERNAY, France, March 26 (Reuters) - Foreign ministers from the world's leading Western democracies meet in France this week against the backdrop of wars in Iranand Ukraine, economic uncertainty, and mounting unease over an increasingly unpredictable U.S. foreign policy.

The two-day gathering at the restored 12th-century Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay, about 40 km (25 miles) southwest of Paris, brings together ministers from the G7 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.S. – alongside the European Union.

With the war in Iran leading to a near-total internet blackout in the country, activists around the world -- especially in the United States -- are mobilizing to help Iranians stay connected via Starlink.

Despite being banned, billionaire Elon Musk's satellite internet system has gained ground in Iran thanks to a network of international activists, multiple people involved in these efforts told AFP.

By Samia Nakhoul, Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily

BEIRUT, March 25 (Reuters) - Iran has told intermediaries that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement with the United States and Israel, six regional sources familiar with Iran's position said, linking an end of the war to a halt to Israel's offensive against Hezbollah.

Iran's Press TV on Wednesday cited an Iranian official saying Tehran wanted any deal with the United States to secure an end to the war both on Iran and other "resistance groups" in the region.