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China and Pakistan have agreed to strengthen their cooperation on the Iran conflict, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The statement came as senior Pakistani officials arrived in the Chinese capital for high-level talks.
Both China and Pakistan have been actively trying to mediate in the Middle East crisis to prevent the conflict from spreading further. Pakistan has already offered to host “meaningful talks” between the United States and Iran.
Pakistani Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is currently visiting Beijing, where he is scheduled to hold discussions with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on bilateral and international issues.
“The two foreign ministers will enhance strategic communication and coordination regarding the Iran situation and work together to promote peace,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning during a press briefing.
She described China and Pakistan as “all-weather” strategic partners.
Dar’s visit follows his hosting of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey on Sunday to discuss ways to end the ongoing war in the Middle East, which began after US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
There is growing concern over the conflict’s impact on global energy supplies, particularly the possible disruption of maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
China, a major partner of Iran, has so far avoided providing military support to Tehran and has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire.
According to Iranian media, Tehran has refused to publicly confirm direct talks with Washington but has reportedly sent its response to President Trump’s 15-point peace plan to the US via Islamabad.
Pakistan remains one of China’s closest allies in the region. However, Beijing has also urged “calm and restraint” in Pakistan’s tensions with Afghanistan. A Chinese special envoy recently spent a week mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said earlier this month.
