A Chinese diplomat stated that Beijing had made "its own efforts" in pushing for a ceasefire between the US and Iran shortly after US President Donald Trump credited China with a key role in the deal, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Wednesday at a regular briefing in Beijing listed the efforts her country had made in recent weeks to de-escalate the conflict, without directly addressing reports that China had helped persuade Tehran to reach a truce.
"China has consistently advocated for a ceasefire and a political and diplomatic resolution to the conflict, as well as for achieving long-term stability in the Persian Gulf and Middle East region," she said, responding to a question about easing tensions. "China has made its own efforts in this regard."
Mao's comments came hours after Iran and the US agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities mediated by Pakistan, and as negotiations for a more lasting peace plan began. The agreement was announced shortly before the deadline set by Trump, with threats of attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran.
The NYT, citing three unnamed Iranian officials, reported that Iran accepted the ceasefire offer after China's intervention, which asked the Islamic Republic to show flexibility and de-escalate tensions. In an interview with AFP after the ceasefire announcement, Trump said he believed China had persuaded Iran to negotiate.
In a post on the social platform X, the Chinese mission to the UN detailed its diplomatic efforts over the past month and highlighted various phone calls the Chinese foreign minister had made with his counterparts in the region, including Iran and Israel, since March 1, AP notes.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made 26 phone calls with relevant counterparts, while Beijing's special envoy has conducted shuttle diplomacy in the Persian Gulf, Mao said. Last week, China and Pakistan issued a five-point initiative calling for an immediate end to the war in Iran and the protection of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Emphasizing Beijing's close diplomatic ties with Tehran, Iran's top diplomat in China on Wednesday called on the world's second-largest economy to help "guarantee peace" in the Middle East.
"We hope that various parties can ensure that the US does not resume the war," Iranian diplomat Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told reporters in Beijing, according to the South China Morning Post.
"We hope that the UN Security Council, major countries such as China and Russia, and mediating countries such as Pakistan and Turkey, will work together to guarantee peace in the region," Fazli said, adding that Iran is working closely with friendly countries, especially China.