China Nudges Pakistan to Intensify Efforts to 'Tame the Fire' in the Middle East
Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi has encouraged Pakistan to intensify mediation efforts between the United States (US) and Iran, who have been engaged in war since the end of February. Wang also requested Islamabad to help address the proper reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
This urging, as reported by Xinhua news agency and cited by AFP on Wednesday (13/5/2026), was conveyed by Wang during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday (12/5) local time. Pakistan serves as the main mediator in the US-Iran conflict.
US President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday (13/5) evening local time for a state visit. Trump will hold discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose country is Iran’s primary strategic and economic partner.
In the telephone conversation with Ishaq Dar, Xinhua reported that Wang called for Pakistan to “intensify mediation efforts and contribute to properly addressing issues related to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz”.
“China will continue to support Pakistan’s mediation efforts and provide its own contributions towards this goal,” Wang stated during the call.
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the war raging between the US and Israel against Iran. Initial peace negotiations held in Islamabad in mid-April failed to produce an agreement to permanently end the war.
Pakistan continues its peace efforts, but Iran’s latest proposal in response to the US peace plan was rejected by Trump. In his response, Trump even described Tehran’s proposal as “stupid” and “rubbish”.
Moreover, he described the US-Iran ceasefire in place since early April as being in a “critical condition”.
The Iranian government, on Tuesday (12/5), rejected the idea of altering its proposal. Tehran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, instead issued an ultimatum to the US to accept the terms in Iran’s 14-point proposal for Middle East peace or face “failure”.
“There is no alternative other than accepting the rights of the Iranian people, as outlined in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will entirely fail to yield conclusions; only failure upon failure,” Ghalibaf emphasised in a statement via social media platform X.