BEIJING, September 30, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — China has called on the United States and Iran to return to an Islamabad memorandum of understanding and resume negotiations, as efforts to end their conflict remain stalled.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing hoped both sides would “choose peace, recommit themselves to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, and resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible.”
China has consistently advocated resolving the dispute through political and diplomatic channels, Guo said at a regular briefing on Wednesday. Beijing, he added, had worked to encourage an end to the fighting and the start of peace talks since the conflict began.
“Since day one of the conflict, China has been making active efforts to promote the end of the fighting and talks for peace,” Guo said.
He said China would continue to support initiatives and proposals put forward by President Xi Jinping aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, while working to restore “peace and tranquility” in the region and the Gulf as soon as possible.
The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments. The Pentagon subsequently imposed a military blockade on Iranian ports.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a central point in efforts to contain the conflict because of its importance to international energy flows. The fighting has also widened beyond Iran, with attacks and disruptions affecting the broader Middle East.
Diplomatic efforts have continued since the June 18 Islamabad memorandum, which was intended to provide a framework for a final agreement covering navigation through the strategic waterway and Iran’s nuclear program.
China’s latest appeal comes as Beijing seeks to keep diplomatic channels open and push the two sides back toward negotiations rather than further military escalation. Guo did not provide details of any new Chinese mediation initiative or say whether Washington and Tehran had agreed to resume talks.
Beijing has repeatedly called for a political settlement to the conflict and has linked regional stability to dialogue between the parties. Its latest statement puts the Islamabad memorandum at the center of that diplomatic effort.