China urged Iran toward ceasefire with US, AP reports
Chinese leader Xi Jinping (photo: Getty Images)
Chinese officials urged Iran to find a path to a ceasefire with the US, maintaining contacts through intermediaries, Associated Press reports.
According to two officials, China, which is Tehran's largest trading partner, held talks with Iranians.
In particular, Chinese officials maintained contact with Iranian officials to encourage Tehran to find a path to a ceasefire agreement as negotiations progressed.
Beijing mostly worked with intermediaries, including Pakistan, Türkiye, and Egypt, seeking to use its influence.
China's Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment, but on Tuesday, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urged the parties to end the war.
"All parties need to demonstrate sincerity and quickly end this war that should not have happened in the first place," she said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed that Beijing is "deeply concerned" about how the conflict is affecting the global economy and energy security.
The US and Iran reached a temporary ceasefire
On the night of April 8, as the US ultimatum was expiring, President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran proposed by Pakistan in exchange for Tehran opening the Strait of Hormuz. He announced that during these weeks, the parties plan to reach a final peace agreement.
Iran's Foreign Ministry has already publicly confirmed that it will open the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire. However, according to AP, Iran and Oman will charge fees for ship passage, although before the war, the strait was free for all.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear when the ceasefire will take effect. The US has stopped its attacks, but Israel and Iran continue to strike each other. As the media explain, neither Tehran nor Washington has announced a specific start time for the ceasefire.
Media reports that the first direct talks between the US and Iran since the beginning of the war will take place on April 10 in Pakistan. The country's prime minister has already publicly invited both delegations to Islamabad.
