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Shi Jiangtao

In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday, China’s foreign minister reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Tehran, called for a political settlement to the country’s conflict with the US and warned that regional tensions must not further spill over into Yemen.
Wang Yi also urged the earliest possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Abbas Araghchi’s trip to China, his second since the US launched large-scale strikes on Iran in late February, came as Washington expanded sanctions and warned of further measures against those who allegedly support Tehran, including Chinese firms.
Alongside trade and technology, the conflict is likely to be a key topic during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected summit with President Donald Trump in the United States next week.
Araghchi last visited Beijing in May, shortly before Trump’s own trip to China.
According to the official Chinese readout, Wang told Araghchi that Beijing was ready to play a constructive role in resolving international disputes as the turbulent situation in the Middle East was seriously affecting international peace and development.
He said Beijing was ready to strengthen its cooperation with Tehran to safeguard Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.


He urged both Iran and the US to “remain rational”, return as soon as possible to their Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, re-establish negotiations and engage in substantive consultations on issues of mutual concern.
“The continued protracted conflict between the US and Iran is not in the common interests of the parties involved or the international community,” he said.
On regional diplomacy, Wang expressed support for Iran’s engagement in dialogue with Persian Gulf countries on the basis of mutual respect for territorial sovereignty and national security.
He urged all parties to take effective measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “at the earliest opportunity”.
The conflict is also threatening to expand further into Yemen.
Fighting has flared between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in the country, with Riyadh accusing the militant group of targeting Mecca, a claim the Houthis have denied.
The Houthis’ seizure of Yemen’s Red Sea coast – including the stretch near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane – has added pressure on global energy markets and pushed the price of Brent crude oil above US$100 a barrel.
“We do not wish to see regional tensions further spill over into Yemen and the Red Sea,” Wang said.
He also highlighted the four‑point proposal for a new Middle East security architecture that Xi unveiled earlier this month.
“The current situation once again demonstrated that the existing security architecture in the Middle East was imperfect and needed to be reformed and strengthened,” Wang told Araghchi.
According to the Chinese statement, Araghchi briefed Wang on the latest Middle East and Gulf developments.
“Iran does not wish for the conflict to continue and hopes to return to diplomatic channels for resolution, while firmly safeguarding its own rights and interests,” he was quoted as saying.




He said Tehran believed the Islamabad memorandum signed in June was still valid and urged Washington to honour its commitments.
Araghchi added that Iran was willing to engage in dialogue with states in the region to build good neighbourly relations.
Last week, Xi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian joined other leaders at the Brics summit in New Delhi in a joint statement urging maximum restraint in the Middle East conflict.
Without naming any country, the New Delhi declaration also expressed concern over the escalation of the fighting and condemned deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities.
Following a meeting between Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan and Pezeshkian on the Brics sidelines, Iran and Oman are preparing to unveil a temporary shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has stressed that the arrangement will not amount to a full reopening, and a planned regional foreign ministers’ meeting has been postponed amid renewed fighting involving Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.
The diplomatic push comes as the cost of the conflict is mounting.
Araghchi on Tuesday mocked US claims that Iran had been left defenceless, citing a Pentagon report to Congress that detailed extensive damage to US bases across the region, calling the losses “the tip of the iceberg”.
A separate congressional estimate put US war costs at US$38 billion in five months, with monthly outlays of at least US$2 billion and projected inflationary effects. On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives voted for a third time to curb Trump’s war powers.
China is Iran’s most important economic partner and the main customer for its oil, often buying Iranian crude at discounted prices and providing Tehran with a vital source of revenue amid sanctions, according to media reports. Beijing has denied these reports, saying its cooperation with Iran is in line with international law.


Relations between Beijing and Tehran were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016 and reinforced by a 25-year cooperation agreement signed in 2021.
But China has not committed to defending Iran militarily and Beijing’s investment in the country has been constrained by the risks of US secondary sanctions, banking restrictions, infrastructure bottlenecks and commercial caution.
In 2023, Beijing helped broker the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, presenting the agreement as an example of its preference for regional dialogue over US-led security arrangements.
Iran is also instrumental to Beijing’s regional strategy due to its location at the intersection of routes linking China with Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Persian Gulf and Europe.
Beijing has promoted transport and logistics links through Iran under the its Belt and Road Initiative, while Tehran has sought Chinese investment in railways, ports, energy and industry.


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Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (right) urged all parties to take effective measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “at the earliest opportunity”. Photo: Xinhua

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected in China on Wednesday for talks with his Chinese counterpart. Photo: AFP

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China

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In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Tehran and Washington to stay rational


In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Tehran and Washington to stay rational.


China affirms support for Iran, but warns against Yemen spillover

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Tehran and Washington to stay rational

In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Tehran and Washington to stay rational