Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during a phone call on Tuesday with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.

“China will continue to support Pakistan’s mediation efforts and make its own contribution toward this end,” Wang said, Xinhua reported, referring to diplomatic engagement aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Tehran and addressing issues linked to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The comments came as Trump was expected to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening for meetings with Xi, whose government maintains close economic and strategic ties with Iran despite persistent friction between Tehran and Washington.

Pakistan has increasingly positioned itself as an intermediary between the United States and Iran as negotiations continue over a potential peace framework following recent conflict between the two countries.

Iran on Tuesday rejected suggestions that it should revise its latest proposals in the talks, after Trump dismissed the proposals as “garbage,” according to statements carried by international media.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, remains one of the world’s most critical maritime oil transit routes, carrying a significant share of global crude exports.

Any disruption to shipping through the waterway has historically raised concerns in energy markets and among major importing economies, including China.
Beijing has repeatedly called for dialogue and de-escalation in the Middle East while seeking to protect energy supply chains vital to its economy.

China has also expanded diplomatic engagement in the region in recent years, including brokering the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023.

Trump’s visit to Beijing comes amid broader discussions between Washington and Beijing over regional security, trade tensions and the future of U.S. policy toward Taiwan, according to officials and state media reports.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said Pakistani civilian and military leaders had urged the United States to avoid broadening military operations during sensitive diplomatic talks with Tehran.“As you know, Pakistan has been fantastic.

And their leaders have been fantastic, the field marshal and the prime minister, and they asked us not to do it during the negotiation,” Trump said when asked why the United States suspended “Project Freedom,” a naval mission intended to secure commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, in place since April 8, remained active despite what the U.S. military described as an Iranian attack on three American destroyers in the Gulf.The United States Central Command said American forces intercepted the attacks and launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian military targets.

Tehran, however, accused Washington of initiating the exchange.The confrontation marked the most serious challenge yet to the truce that halted weeks of conflict sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets beginning Feb. 28.

Iran responded during the war with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East and by restricting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments.

The United States announced Project Freedom on May 4 to escort merchant vessels through the strait after attacks on commercial shipping, though the operation was later suspended.Trump said negotiations with Iran were progressing positively and reiterated Washington’s demand that Tehran abandon any pathway to nuclear weapons capability.

“We’re not going to give them the right to have a nuclear weapon. There’s zero chance,” Trump said.Esmail Baghaei said Tehran was reviewing messages and proposals relayed through Pakistan but had not yet responded formally to the United States.Iranian state media quoted Baghaei as saying the Islamic republic had “not yet reached a conclusion.”

Pakistan has emerged as a central intermediary in efforts to end the conflict. Direct U.S.-Iran talks hosted in Islamabad last month failed to produce a final agreement but established ongoing diplomatic channels between the two sides.

Ishaq Dar separately spoke by telephone on Thursday with Abbas Araghchi, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad hoped negotiations would produce a sustainable resolution supporting regional and international stability.

“We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well,” Andrabi said.

Pakistan also said it was coordinating with Singapore to facilitate the repatriation of 11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian seafarers aboard vessels seized by U.S. authorities near Singaporean waters.

“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to the Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be open to all,” Trump said on social media, warning that failure to accept the proposal would result in intensified military action.

The remarks come amid indications that Washington and Tehran are nearing a one-page, 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict and initiating further negotiations, according to a source familiar with the talks.

The proposed framework would declare an end to the war and launch a 30-day negotiating period to finalize arrangements covering maritime transit through the strait, limits on Iran’s nuclear program, and the lifting of US sanctions.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be ensured once US threats subside, adding that new procedures were being implemented for shipping, though no details were provided.The developments follow Trump’s decision to pause “Project Freedom,” a US naval mission intended to escort vessels through the waterway, citing progress in negotiations.

The blockade, however, remains in force.The Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit route, has been largely closed to international shipping since late February, when the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. The disruption has severely affected global energy flows and heightened geopolitical tensions.

According to sources, the draft memorandum could include provisions for Iran to halt nuclear enrichment activities, while the United States would lift sanctions and release frozen Iranian funds. Both sides would also gradually ease restrictions on shipping during the negotiation period.

The talks involve US envoys and Iranian officials engaging directly and through intermediaries, with Pakistan playing a mediating role, the source said.Despite the diplomatic progress, incidents in the strait have continued.

A French shipping company reported that one of its container vessels was struck in the waterway this week, with injured crew evacuated.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking during a visit to China, said Tehran was seeking a “fair and comprehensive agreement” but did not directly address Trump’s latest comments.

The conflict, which began on February 28, has disrupted shipping and triggered repeated strikes on vessels and regional targets, underscoring the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to global trade and energy markets.

Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in Iran’s military central command, said evidence showed that Washington was not committed to its promises or agreements, according to remarks published by Iran’s Fars news agency.“A renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely,” Asadi said, adding that previous developments had demonstrated that the United States could not be trusted to uphold commitments.

His comments came hours after President Donald Trump said he was dissatisfied with a new Iranian negotiating proposal delivered through mediator Pakistan on Thursday.“At this moment I’m not satisfied with what they’re offering,” Trump told reporters, blaming delays in diplomacy on what he described as “tremendous discord” inside Iran’s leadership.

“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever or do we want to try and make a deal?” Trump said, adding that he would prefer to avoid military escalation “on a human basis.”The war, launched by the United States and Israel in late February, has been paused since April 8 after a ceasefire took hold following weeks of strikes across the region.

One round of peace talks in Pakistan failed to produce a breakthrough.Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, said on Friday that Tehran had never avoided negotiations but would not accept peace terms imposed by outside powers.

The White House has not disclosed details of the latest Iranian proposal. Axios reported that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had proposed amendments that would return Iran’s nuclear program to the center of negotiations, including demands that Tehran not move enriched uranium from bombed facilities or restart activity there during talks.

News of the proposal briefly pushed global oil prices down by nearly 5%, though prices remain significantly above pre-war levels because of continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes.Iran has maintained effective control over the strait since the conflict began, severely disrupting flows of oil, gas and fertilizer exports, while the United States has responded with a blockade targeting Iranian ports.

Washington said late Friday it had approved major arms sales to regional allies, including a $4 billion Patriot missile deal with Qatar and nearly $1 billion in precision weapons systems for Israel.In Washington, lawmakers are also debating whether Trump violated the legal deadline for seeking congressional approval for the military campaign.

Administration officials argue that the ceasefire paused the 60-day clock requiring congressional authorization, while opposition Democrats dispute that interpretation.Trump told congressional leaders that “there has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7” and said hostilities had effectively “terminated.”Inside Iran, the economic impact of the war continues to deepen.

New U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian currency firms and disruptions to trade have worsened inflation, which has reportedly surged above 50%.“For many people, paying rent and even buying food has become difficult,” one Tehran resident said, reflecting growing public anxiety over the prolonged crisis.Supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday urged business owners to avoid layoffs and called for what he described as “economic and cultural jihad” in response to mounting economic pressure and external threats.

According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, Araghchi was due to convey “Iran’s positions and views on the framework of any understanding to completely end the war” during fresh meetings with Pakistani officials.

The minister had visited Islamabad a day earlier, meeting Army Chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar before flying to Muscat, where he met Haitham bin Tariq as regional diplomacy intensified.Other Iranian envoys returned to Tehran for consultations and to obtain instructions related to ending the conflict, ISNA reported.

Before those talks, the White House had said Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were preparing to travel to Pakistan for further indirect negotiations.Trump later scrapped the trip, telling Fox News there was no reason to continue “sitting around talking about nothing,” while criticizing Tehran’s negotiating position.

“They gave us a paper that should have been better and interestingly immediately when I canceled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump said, without giving details.Asked whether canceling the trip meant a return to open conflict, Trump said: “No, it doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”Araghchi described his initial Pakistan visit as “very fruitful” but questioned Washington’s seriousness about diplomacy.“

Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy,” he said.Pressure for a diplomatic breakthrough has intensified as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked, disrupting one of the world’s most important oil and gas shipping routes and driving energy prices sharply higher.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had no intention of lifting the blockade.“Controlling the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the shadow of its deterrent effects over America and the White House’s supporters in the region is the definitive strategy of Islamic Iran,” the Guards said on Telegram.

The United States has responded by tightening restrictions on Iranian ports and increasing maritime enforcement actions against vessels linked to Tehran’s energy exports.Iran’s military accused Washington of “blockading, banditry and piracy” and warned that continued pressure would trigger a response.

Regional tensions also escalated on the Lebanese front, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes against Hezbollah targets after accusing the group of violating a ceasefire recently extended for three weeks.

Lebanese state media reported Israeli strikes in several southern districts, while Lebanon’s health ministry said attacks in Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil killed six people.Israel’s military said it had killed multiple Hezbollah operatives, including fighters allegedly transporting weapons.

Although Trump had earlier expressed optimism about peace after meetings with Israeli and Lebanese envoys, Hezbollah parliamentary bloc leader Mohammed Raad urged Lebanon to withdraw from negotiations, warning that any agreement without broader consensus would be politically unsustainable.

Araghchi is expected to travel to Moscow after completing the Islamabad consultations.

Trump said he had ordered envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Islamabad, where mediation efforts had been centered following the arrival of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for talks with Pakistani officials.

Speaking before departing Florida and later in comments to Fox News, Trump said the revised Iranian offer failed to meet U.S. expectations and dismissed the value of sending negotiators for extended talks.“I’ve told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, ‘Nope, you’re not making an 18-hour flight to go there,’” Trump said, according to Fox News.

“We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want.”In a post on Truth Social, Trump added that there was “tremendous infighting and confusion” within Iran’s leadership and said, “Nobody knows who is in charge, including them.”

The cancellation dealt a setback to mediation efforts in Islamabad, where Araghchi had concluded meetings with Pakistani leaders without direct contact with U.S. representatives.

Araghchi described the visit as “very fruitful,” while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Tehran would not accept what he called “imposed negotiations” conducted under threats or blockade.

Iran urged Washington to remove operational restrictions, including measures affecting Iranian ports, while maintaining that it would not accept maximalist demands.“Principally, Iranian side will not accept maximalist demands,” an Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad told Reuters.

Tensions remain elevated across the region despite a ceasefire currently in force after a conflict that began on Feb. 28 with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Tehran later launched retaliatory strikes against Israel, U.S. military bases and Gulf states, escalating fears of a broader regional war.

The standoff has also disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor, while U.S. restrictions on Iranian oil exports remain in place, pushing energy prices to multi-year highs and adding pressure to global inflation and growth.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered forces to strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon “forcefully,” testing a fragile three-week ceasefire and underscoring the broader instability surrounding the negotiations.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said earlier that Washington had seen some progress from Iran in recent days and hoped for further movement over the weekend.Vice President JD Vance, who led an earlier unsuccessful round of indirect talks in Islamabad this month, had also been prepared to travel again if negotiations advanced.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran still had an opportunity to reach an agreement if it made verifiable commitments on its nuclear program.“All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways,” Hegseth said.

Iran’s foreign ministry later confirmed that no direct meeting with U.S. officials had been planned during Araghchi’s visit and said Tehran would instead convey its position through Pakistan as mediator.

A Pakistani source involved in the negotiations said discussions were “on track” for Wednesday, despite earlier indications from Iran that it might not attend. U.S. President Donald Trump could join the talks either in person or virtually if an agreement is reached, the source added.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Pakistan for the переговоры, according to media reports, while Iranian officials said Tehran was “positively reviewing” whether to send a delegation, without confirming participation.

The diplomatic push comes as a two-week ceasefire in the conflict, which began on February 28, nears its end. A Pakistani source said the truce is expected to expire late Wednesday U.S. time.Financial markets reacted to signs of renewed diplomacy, with oil prices falling more than $1 and equities rising in early Asian trading amid expectations that talks could resume.

Brent crude traded near $94 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate fell below $88.Tensions remain elevated, however, following disputes over the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and the recent interception of an Iranian vessel.

Tehran condemned the seizure and warned Washington would bear responsibility for any escalation.Iranian officials also reiterated that they would not negotiate under pressure. Senior figures, including Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused Washington of attempting to force concessions through economic and military pressure.

Washington has said it seeks an agreement that would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons while stabilizing energy markets. Tehran, for its part, is seeking relief from sanctions and an end to hostilities without compromising its nuclear program.

The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz remains central to the negotiations, as the waterway handles a significant share of global oil and gas shipments and has been affected by restrictions imposed during the conflict.

Pakistan, acting as a mediator, has deployed nearly 20,000 security personnel in Islamabad ahead of the potential talks, underscoring the high stakes and security concerns surrounding the negotiations.

The announcement came a day after talks in Pakistan ended without agreement, underscoring persistent divisions over terms to end a conflict launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The blockade is aimed at pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a broader settlement addressing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional activities.

Trump indicated that diplomatic channels remain open, saying Iran had reached out to explore a possible resolution. “We’ve been called by the right people … and they want to work a deal,” he told reporters outside the White House.Iran signaled conditional openness to negotiations.

Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said discussions must proceed on the basis of “principles and logic,” while other officials warned that Tehran would respond if the situation escalates.The blockade drew sharp reactions from Iran, which threatened countermeasures targeting ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, raising the risk that the two-week ceasefire declared earlier could collapse before its April 22 expiry.

At the core of the dispute remain differences over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Its closure has already disrupted markets and driven up oil prices.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the recent talks, said Iran had not provided assurances it would refrain from pursuing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied such intentions while defending its right to civilian nuclear development, including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s negotiating position, articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, emphasized sovereignty over the strait, an end to hostilities, and compensation for wartime damage.

Iranian officials also dismissed the blockade as exaggerated, with parliamentary spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei describing it as “more bluffing than reality.”Pakistan has indicated it may facilitate further dialogue, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressing willingness to host another round of talks, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Both sides have maintained firm public positions, with Trump warning that any Iranian attempt to challenge the blockade would be met with force, while Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the measure risked further destabilizing the global economy.

The discussions, held days after a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire, marked the first direct engagement between senior U.S. and Iranian officials since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Delegations led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf met over more than 20 hours at Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, with Pakistani mediators shuttling between the sides.

Despite moments when negotiators appeared close to a framework agreement, talks ultimately stalled over key issues including Iran’s nuclear program, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and access to frozen assets, according to 11 sources familiar with the discussions.

A U.S. official said Washington’s core objective remained ensuring Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon, while Iranian officials emphasized sovereignty concerns, sanctions relief, and broader security guarantees.

Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons but maintains its right to uranium enrichment.Sources described a tense and shifting atmosphere, with periods of optimism giving way to deadlock. At one stage, the sides were “80 percent” toward an understanding before unresolved political decisions derailed progress, one source said.

Pakistan played a central mediating role, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirming that efforts to bridge differences are ongoing. Officials said communication between Tehran and Washington continues through intermediaries, even after the formal talks ended.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran had reached out seeking a deal, though this could not be independently verified. A White House spokesperson reiterated that Washington’s position remains unchanged, particularly its demand that Iran abandon any pathway to nuclear weapons.

Iranian officials signaled deep mistrust, citing past negotiations and subsequent military actions, while also indicating willingness to continue discussions under defined conditions.The Strait of Hormuz remains a central point of contention, with Iran asserting control over the waterway and the United States insisting on restoring unrestricted navigation.

The dispute has had significant implications for global energy markets, contributing to volatility and supply concerns.Mediators, including Pakistani officials and regional diplomats, have continued backchannel communications in an effort to revive talks.

Both sides face mounting pressure to de-escalate, with economic costs rising and broader geopolitical risks intensifying.

Two Pakistani officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Islamabad has offered to again facilitate negotiations, although the final venue would depend on whether Washington or Tehran request an alternative location.

They described the initial round of talks as part of an ongoing diplomatic process rather than a one-off effort.The proposal follows marathon negotiations held on April 12 that ended without a breakthrough but were marked by what U.S. Vice President JD Vance described as “some progress,” particularly on Washington’s demands regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

In an interview with Fox News, Vance said Iranian negotiators had moved closer to U.S. positions on the removal of nuclear material and mechanisms to prevent future uranium enrichment, but were unable to finalize a deal, suggesting decisions may require approval from authorities in Tehran.

“There really is, I think, a grand deal to be had here,” Vance said, adding that the next step rests with Iran.The White House did not confirm whether preparations for a second round are underway. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that U.S. negotiating positions remain unchanged and pointed to increased pressure on Iran following the implementation of a U.S. naval blockade.

Multiple sources familiar with the discussions said both sides are considering further in-person talks aimed at reaching an agreement before the ceasefire expires next week. While Islamabad remains a leading candidate to host the meeting, other locations such as Geneva are also under consideration, with timing still undecided but potentially within days.

A diplomat involved in mediation efforts said there is growing alignment on holding another round, though details on the level of representation and agenda remain unresolved.U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier that Iran had reached out seeking a deal, underscoring continued engagement between the two sides even as tensions persist.