China welcomes Pakistan mediation in U.S.-Iran talks

China on Saturday welcomed Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, urging renewed talks and a peaceful end to conflict.

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi told Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar that Beijing welcomes Islamabad’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, as regional powers continue trying to prevent a wider Middle East war. China’s foreign ministry said on Saturday that stopping the fighting and restoring peace remained the shared goal of all sides.

In a statement, Beijing said China and Pakistan held common positions on the need to restart negotiations and find a path toward ending the confrontation involving Washington and Tehran. It added that both countries were maintaining what it described as a neutral stance while supporting diplomatic efforts.

China also said it was ready to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with Pakistan and work jointly for peace, regional calm and de-escalation. The two sides agreed to support efforts aimed at halting the conflict, reviving talks, protecting civilian targets and ensuring the security of shipping routes.

The statement underlines Pakistan’s growing diplomatic role in the crisis, with Islamabad increasingly positioning itself as a go-between for Washington and Tehran. Pakistani officials have said messages have already been passed between the two sides, even as Iran continues to deny direct talks with the United States.

Beijing has in recent days repeatedly called for all parties to seize what it described as every opportunity for peace, and Wang has separately urged Iranian officials to begin talks as soon as possible. China has framed its diplomacy around dialogue, regional stability and the prevention of further military escalation.

Pakistan’s emergence as a mediator reflects both its ties with Iran and its improved engagement with Washington. Analysts say Islamabad has strong incentives to contain the conflict because of its border with Iran, domestic political sensitivities and exposure to higher oil prices and regional instability.

China has also stepped up its regional diplomacy more broadly in recent weeks, having previously played a role in easing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. That has reinforced Beijing’s effort to present itself as a stabilizing power in overlapping regional crises.

Saturday’s statement signals that both Beijing and Islamabad want diplomacy, not escalation, to shape the next phase of the crisis. But with fighting still active and public positions hardening, any renewed negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are likely to remain fragile and difficult.

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