BEIJING (AP) — China’s foreign minister called for a comprehensive ceasefire in the Iran war and said his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict that has lasted two months.
Wang Yi made the comments Wednesday after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was visiting Beijing for the first time since the war with the U.S. and Israel started Feb. 28.
The Chinese comments could inject new energy into stalled efforts to push for an agreement between the United States and Iran that would end the war. They followed an earlier statement by U.S. President Donald Trump that he was pausing his short-lived U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels to guide commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz in hopes that a deal could be finalized.
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, a vital waterway through which major oil and gas supplies, fertilizer and other petroleum products passed before the war, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the global economy and put enormous economic pressure on countries including major powers like China.
“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Wang said, according to a video of the meeting.
