China’s Wang Yi urges talks to sustain fragile Iran-US ceasefire

CHINA’S Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the international community to step up efforts to promote peace talks between Iran and the US, warning that the current truce remains fragile and must be preserved.

The top Chinese envoy made the remarks during a call with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar on Monday (Apr 13), according to a readout from China’s Foreign Ministry. He also called on the international community to take a clear stance against any actions that undermine the ceasefire or escalate tensions.

“The current ceasefire is highly fragile, with the region at a critical turning point. The immediate priority is to prevent a resumption of hostilities and sustain the hard-won truce,” Wang said.

Wang praised Pakistan for helping broker a temporary ceasefire and for hosting talks in Islamabad – which broke up on Sunday without an agreement.

Pakistan has played a “fair and balanced” role, Wang said. He added that the five-point initiative jointly proposed by China and Pakistan last month could serve as a pathway towards restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and broader Middle East.

The durability of the ceasefire that began earlier this month is now being tested, with US President Donald Trump ordering a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which took effect on Monday. BLOOMBERG