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China on Tuesday said it would strengthen cooperation with Pakistan on Iran as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed on a brief visit to Beijing for detailed discussions on the ongoing conflict.
At the invitation of China’s FM Wang Yi, Dar this morning departed Islamabad on a one-day visit to China for “in-depth discussions on regional developments”, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
Shortly after Dar departed for the trip, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China and Pakistan will “strengthen” their cooperation on Iran.
“The two foreign ministers will strengthen strategic communication and coordination on the Iran situation and… make new efforts toward advocating for peace,” Mao told a press conference, calling China and Pakistan “all-weather” strategic partners.
The discussions in Beijing are likely to focus on developing a framework and guiding principles for a prospective Iran-United States dialogue to end the war, a diplomat closely following the developments said.
The trip marks his second official visit to Beijing this year, the FO said. Both leaders will review “bilateral ties” and discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The FO stated that Pakistan and China enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, characterised by “close coordination and regular consultations” on regional development and international issues.
Dar’s Beijing visit will last only a few hours, where he will further deliberate on ideas discussed during his telephone conversation with FM Wang last week.
Initiating peace talks in the war involving Iran “is no easy task”, Wang said, but noted that such efforts would be “conducive to restoring normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz”.
During the call, Wang also conveyed China’s support for Pakistan’s role as a mediator.
The Chinese foreign minister had also spoken to Dar on March 10, where he had commended Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting de-escalation and stability in the Middle East amid war.
Commenting on Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam appreciated the “initiative and goodwill and good office by the friendly & brotherly country of Pakistan to stop the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and restore peace and stability to the region”.
“Iran welcomes Pakistan’s proactive diplomatic initiatives based on goodwill to restore peace and [bring] lasting stability to the region,” the envoy reiterated in another post.
His statement comes after Islamabad hosted a four-country meeting over the weekend involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, where foreign ministers met for about 100 minutes and emphasised the need for de-escalation and dialogue.
The ministers backed efforts to create conditions for structured negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Following the meeting, Dar publicly hinted that Pakistan could host direct US-Iran talks in the coming days, as Islamabad stepped up efforts to position itself as a venue for negotiations.
Pakistan has taken centre-stage in the process to mediate between the US and Iran, being carried out in collaboration with Riyadh, Ankara and Cairo, with officials confirming that indirect exchanges between Washington and Tehran are continuing through structured message relays, rather than direct contact.
Additional input from AFP
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