China’s Xi holds talks with Pakistan’s Sharif as Iran war diplomacy stalls

China’s Xi holds talks with Pakistan’s Sharif as Iran war diplomacy stalls

Xi Jinping met Pakistan's PM Sharif in Beijing on May 25, with army chief Asim Munir — Islamabad's key US-Iran mediator — also present, as diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war stall after April talks collapsed. Pakistan's central role as the sole host of direct US-Iran negotiations positions it as a critical geopolitical broker, with China playing a supporting role that signals Beijing's indirect stake in Middle East stability.