China on Wednesday said that the situation in the Middle East was at a critical juncture following the decision by US President Donald Trump to extend a ceasefire, allowing Iran more time for negotiations.
Beijing voiced its support for diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing an end to the US-Iran conflict after the ceasefire was prolonged beyond its initial fourteen-day period.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, speaking in Beijing, stated that the situation in the region was at a critical stage and that the immediate priority was to prevent a return to hostilities by all means.
He said that China supported all parties in continuing political and diplomatic engagement to resolve the dispute and achieve a full and lasting ceasefire while preserving peace and stability in the Middle East.
The remarks from Beijing followed President Trump’s statement that Washington would extend the ceasefire with Iran to allow Tehran time to prepare a “unified proposal”, after what he described as a request from Pakistani officials.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump that Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had requested a delay in renewed military action until a joint proposal could be formulated.
The ceasefire, which halted the US–Israeli conflict with Iran on 8 April, had been due to expire on Wednesday.
Officials from the United States and Iran are expected to meet for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, while Tehran has insisted that Washington lift restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz as a condition for participation.
The conflict began on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory action by Tehran against US assets and bases across the region.
Islamabad later hosted high-level discussions between Washington and Tehran on 11–12 April, the first such talks since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979.
Iran had briefly eased its control over the Strait of Hormuz last Friday, before reinstating it a day later after Trump stated that restrictions on Iranian ports would remain in force.
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