Will China join Pakistan-led efforts to mediate US-Iran peace?

Al Jazeera
March 31, 2026
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3 min read

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Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister visited China to explore whether Beijing will join Pakistan's effort to mediate between the U.S. and Iran.

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Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar traveled to China following Islamabad's efforts to broker negotiations between the United States and Iran, raising the question of whether Beijing will join Pakistan's mediation push. Pakistan has positioned itself as a potential intermediary in US-Iran relations, a role that could gain diplomatic weight if China, a major regional power with ties to both nations, lends its support. Chinese involvement would signal a coordinated diplomatic initiative among key players to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly significant given China's economic and strategic interests in regional stability. Dar's visit suggests Pakistan is building consensus among influential nations for a structured peace process rather than pursuing mediation alone. The success of any such effort would likely depend on willingness from both the Trump administration and Iran to engage directly or through intermediaries.

What's Being Done

Pakistan has positioned itself as an intermediary and is building diplomatic consensus with China for a structured peace process.

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