China urges swift US-Iran peace talks, praises Pakistan's mediation efforts

BEIJING: China on Monday called on the United States and Iran to initiate peace talks "as soon as possible" while commending Pakistan for its ongoing mediation efforts amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

"China calls on relevant parties to start peace talks as soon as possible," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters, emphasizing that Beijing supports all initiatives conducive to de-escalation and dialogue.

"We commend Pakistan for its efforts to deescalate tensions," Mao added, responding to a question. She also expressed China’s readiness to work with Pakistan and other parties to strengthen coordination aimed at ending hostilities and safeguarding regional peace and stability.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is all set to head to China today for sharing the outcome of the quadrilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Dar also recently stated that Islamabad would be “honoured” to host talks between the US and Iran as part of its broader mediation efforts. The country also hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers’ meeting focused on easing the conflict.

Mao reiterated China’s opposition to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, noting that "military means will not solve the root cause. The conflict serves no one’s interests."

The Middle East has seen heightened violence since Israel and the US launched an offensive against Iran on February 28, resulting in over 1,400 deaths, including Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf nations hosting US military assets, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and aviation.