The Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, during a meeting with Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, urged both countries to return to the Islamabad Agreement (Memorandum of Understanding). This meeting took place as Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, in Washington next week.
Emphasis on Common Interests
Wang stated during this meeting that the continuation of tensions between the United States and Iran is not in the interest of either party or the international community. He added, "China calls on Iran and the United States to exercise reason and caution and urges a return to the Islamabad Agreement as soon as possible to rebuild the negotiation mechanism based on previous agreements and to engage in meaningful consultations on relevant issues."
Background of the Islamabad Agreement
The Islamabad Agreement, signed in June with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar, is seen as an effort to reduce tensions and create a platform for negotiations between Iran and the United States. This agreement was signed following extensive attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28. At that time, the U.S. and Israel targeted government buildings, military facilities, and Iran's missile and air defense infrastructure.
In response to these attacks, Iran also carried out missile and drone strikes against Israel and American bases in the region. These conflicts quickly escalated regionally, and diplomatic efforts to end these hostilities are ongoing.
China, as one of the largest importers of Iranian oil, has close relations with the country, and the two nations adhere to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" primarily based on economic relations and discounted energy imports. The volume of bilateral trade reached over $41 billion last year.
The recent meeting between Wang and Araghchi in Beijing was their second in-person dialogue in the Chinese capital since the recent tensions between Iran and the United States began. This meeting takes place ahead of the upcoming summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Beijing.
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