Photo courtesy of Anadolu
China and Pakistan called on the United States and Iran to halt hostilities and return to negotiations as tensions between the two countries continued to escalate.
The appeal was made during a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Shanghai on Wednesday, according to a statement released Friday by China’s Foreign Ministry.
The two officials expressed concern over the worsening conflict and urged all parties to stop military actions, remove obstacles to dialogue and work toward a comprehensive peace agreement through negotiations.
They also said the international community should continue supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the crisis.
Wang praised Pakistan’s mediation role, saying the first phase of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran had been achieved through difficult negotiations.
He said the agreement served the long-term interests of the parties involved and reflected the broader expectations of the international community for a peaceful resolution.
Wang stressed that peace remained achievable but warned against allowing the opportunity for diplomacy to slip away, urging all sides to honor their commitments under the memorandum.
China also reiterated its support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts and pledged to continue contributing to initiatives aimed at easing tensions as the United States and Iran exchanged retaliatory military strikes for a sixth straight day.