Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on Wednesday. This visit marks the first time Araghchi has traveled to China since the war involving Iran, the U.S., and Israel began on February 28. During the meeting, Wang Yi expressed that China is deeply distressed over the conflict, which has now lasted more than two months.
Wang Yi emphasized that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed and stated that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable. He stressed the importance of remaining committed to dialogue and negotiations to resolve the conflict. While Beijing is not an official mediator in the war, both Washington and Tehran have acknowledged that China has played an important role in efforts to de-escalate the situation.
These diplomatic talks come just days before U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing for a summit with President Xi Jinping next week. Although Trump is forging ahead with plans for the high-stakes meeting and desires a lavish welcome, some Chinese officials have expressed unease about holding the summit before the war in Iran is resolved. The ongoing conflict continues to bring fresh tumult to the relationship between the world's two largest economies.