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🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

China: US-Iran second-phase talks will be tougher; urges global support

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the US-Iran peace talks as a "new starting point" and urged continued international effort.
  • Wang noted that the second phase of negotiations will be more challenging than the first, emphasizing the need to avoid renewed military action.
  • He called for greater international support for the talks, including a larger role for the UN, and expressed China's desire for a regional security framework.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has characterized the US-Iran peace negotiations as a "new starting point," stressing the need for sustained efforts from all parties involved, including Iran and the United States. Speaking during a phone call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Wang congratulated Pakistan on its role in facilitating the initial US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) on ending the conflict.

The current agreement is not an endpoint but a new starting point, and lasting peace and stability in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region still require the continuous efforts of all countries.

— Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign MinisterDescribing the significance of the US-Iran agreement and the need for ongoing efforts.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Dar expressed gratitude for China's consistent communication and support for Pakistan's mediation efforts over recent months. Wang Yi stated that the current agreement is not an endpoint but a fresh beginning, emphasizing that lasting peace and stability in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region require ongoing commitment from all nations. The US and Iran are set to continue negotiations for 60 days following the MOU's signing, focusing on sensitive issues such as Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and the release of frozen assets.

Compared to the first phase, the difficulty of the second phase of negotiations can be expected to be higher, but China believes that we should not go back to the pre-war situation, and even more so, we should not resort to military action again.

— Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign MinisterAssessing the challenges of the upcoming US-Iran negotiations.

Wang referred to these upcoming discussions as the "second phase" of negotiations, predicting they would be more difficult than the initial stage. He firmly stated that the world should not revert to the pre-agreement situation or resort to military force again. The Chinese diplomat urged the international community to actively support the US-Iran talks, advocating for a more significant role for multilateral bodies like the UN Security Council. China, he added, hopes to explore a regional peace and security framework that involves the collective participation of all countries in the region.

The international community must provide greater assistance to the negotiations between Iran and the United States, and multilateral organizations such as the UN Security Council should also play a greater role.

— Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign MinisterCalling for increased international support for the peace talks.

Wang also highlighted China's own contributions to de-escalating the conflict. He mentioned that China had engaged with various countries, actively promoting a cessation of military actions and peace. From the outset, China supported Pakistan's mediation efforts, emphasizing Pakistan's reliability as an intermediary to other nations. Additionally, China engaged in separate persuasion efforts with both Iran and the US.

China hopes to seek a peace and security framework that all countries in the region can jointly participate in through dialogue and negotiation.

— Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign MinisterExpressing China's vision for regional security.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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