China and Pakistan Vow Continued Cooperation on Middle East Peace Efforts

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a phone conversation on Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to advancing peace and stability in the Middle East. Wang emphasized that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to promote dialogue and support the ongoing peace process in the region. He congratulated Pakistan on facilitating the first-phase memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, stressing that working for peace is an international responsibility shared by all countries.

Dar briefed Wang on the status of the Iran-U.S. memorandum and expressed gratitude for China's sustained communication and support of Pakistan's mediation efforts over recent months. The Pakistani foreign minister emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum in the peace talks and proposed continued coordination between the two nations to achieve lasting regional stability.

Wang acknowledged the progress made while cautioning that the current consensus represents only a starting point, not an endpoint. Drawing on a Chinese proverb about a hundred-mile journey, he noted that the second phase of negotiations will be even more challenging than the first. He stressed that "there must be no turning back, still less any return to the use of force," and called for sustained international support, including greater involvement from multilateral institutions such as the United Nations Security Council.

Both officials underscored their shared vision of a Middle East where dialogue and consultation shape regional security architecture. Wang emphasized that regional countries should take their future into their own hands and that the international community has a duty to support the talks. He concluded by reflecting on the region's war-related suffering, stating that "once the door to peace has been opened, it should not be closed again," and that the Middle East's people deserve peace.