Beijing (ANTARA) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with\nIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi over the phone on Tuesday (24\/3)\nto achieve a comprehensive end to the war.<\/p>\n
\u201cForeign Minister Araghchi conveyed that Iran is committed to\nachieving a comprehensive end to the war, not merely a temporary\nceasefire,\u201d stated a written release on the Chinese Ministry of Foreign\nAffairs website, accessed by ANTARA on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In the statement, Araghchi explained the latest developments in the\nregional situation and expressed thanks to China for the emergency\nhumanitarian assistance provided.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe stated that the Iranian people are increasingly united in facing\nexternal aggression and safeguarding the country\u2019s sovereignty and\nindependence,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Araghchi also emphasised that the Strait of Hormuz\nis open to all parties, and ships can pass safely, but this does not\napply to countries involved in the conflict.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that the steps taken by all parties can help de-escalate the\nsituation rather than worsen the conflict. I also hope that China can\ncontinue to play an active role in promoting peace and stopping the\nwar,\u201d Araghchi said in the statement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wang Yi reaffirmed China\u2019s principled position,\nemphasising that all tensions must be resolved through dialogue and\nnegotiation, not the use of military force.<\/p>\n
\u201cNegotiating is always better than continuing to fight. This aligns\nwith the interests of the Iranian state and people and reflects the\ngeneral aspirations of the international community,\u201d Wang Yi stated.<\/p>\n
Wang Yi hoped that all parties could seize every opportunity and\nmomentum for peace and promptly begin the negotiation process.<\/p>\n
\u201cChina will continue to adhere to an objective and impartial\nposition, oppose violations of other countries\u2019 sovereignty, actively\npromote peace and cessation of conflict, and commit to maintaining\nregional peace and stability,\u201d Wang Yi added.<\/p>\n
Previously, on Monday (23\/3), US President Donald Trump said he had\nordered a five-day delay for all attacks on Iran\u2019s power plants and\nenergy infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Trump did this on the grounds that his side had held \u201cvery good and\nproductive\u201d talks with Tehran over the past two days regarding a\ncomplete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East, as\nstated by Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social.<\/p>\n
The delay depends on the success of the ongoing meetings and\ndiscussions, he added.<\/p>\n
Tehran firmly rejected Trump\u2019s claims about those talks. Iranian\nForeign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that several friendly\ncountries had recently sent messages to Iran indicating the US desire to\nstart talks to end the war. However, Iran has not yet responded.<\/p>\n
Baghaei emphasised that Tehran\u2019s position on the Strait of Hormuz, as\nwell as their conditions for ending the war, remains unchanged.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s National Defence Council also stated that any attempt by the\n\u201cenemy\u201d to target Iran\u2019s coasts or islands would lead to the laying of\nmines in access routes and communication lines throughout the Persian\nGulf.<\/p>\n
Regional tensions have risen since the US and Israel launched joint\nstrikes against Iran on 28 February, with reported casualties exceeding\n1,300 people.<\/p>\n
Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel,\nalong with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military\nassets.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s counteraction has impacted global markets and aviation. The\nStrait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March.<\/p>\n
Around 20 million barrels of oil typically pass through that route\nevery day, and the disruption has increased shipping costs and driven up\nglobal oil prices.<\/p>\n
Iran has also taken steps to ensure that non-US or Israel-affiliated\ntransit ships can cross the strait. All ships, except \u201cenemy\u201d vessels,\ncan pass through the Strait of Hormuz provided they coordinate with\nIran.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chinese-and-iranian-foreign-ministers-discuss-efforts-to-end-the-war-over-phone-1774374639", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }