2 oil tankers 'attacked' in Oman, reports of blast on one

Iran said its navy had rescued 44 crew members after the two vessels caught fire in 'accidents' off its coast.

US Navy assisting 2 tankers targeted in Gulf of Oman

The latest incident comes after the US alleged that Iran used mines to attack 4 oil tankers off nearby Emirati port of Fujairah last month.

Pompeo will travel to four countries in the Indo-Pacific region from June 24 to 30: India, Sri Lanka, Japan and South Korea.

It also comes as Japan tries to negotiate its own trade deals with Trump, who has been quick to impose tariffs on other nations.

Iranian and US leaders have ratcheted up barbs and insults ever since Trump was elected as president in 2016.

Trump explicitly linked trade and security, a link that disturbs Tokyo, whose alliance with US stands at the core of its defence policies.

After calling on Naruhito in the morning, Trump and his avowed close friend Abe will meet for summit talks and have lunch.

President kicks off 4-day Tokyo visit aimed at cementing ties.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will treat Trump to an imperial banquet and front row seats at a sumo tournament during the trip.

The USD 70 billion Japanese trade surplus with the US is dwarfed by China’s USD 379 billion surplus.