LONDON, April 23 -- Iranian player Hossein Vafaei began his campaign at the snooker world championship on Wednesday in positive fashion as he aims to bring some joy to his war-torn homeland.

Vafaei, 31 - Iran's first professional snooker player - managed to blank out worries about his loved ones back home to qualify for what is his fifth appearance in the championships and leads Si Jiahui 6-3 after the first session.

The war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has since engulfed the Gulf countries and Lebanon and ignited fears of a global energy shock.

At the moment an uneasy truce reigns which was extended by US President Donald Trump at the eleventh hour on Tuesday.

However, Vafaei, who made history when...