BEIJING — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Monday for warring parties in the Middle East to prioritize political dialogue over military escalation, during talks with a senior Iranian security official in the capital.
Wang told Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, that negotiation remains the only viable path to resolving regional conflicts, according to state news agency Xinhua. The minister also affirmed Beijing’s support for Iran’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and security.
Earlier in the day, President Xi Jinping met with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, warning that the Middle East and Gulf must not become an arena for great-power competition. A joint statement released afterward showed Muscat endorsing China’s peace proposals for the region and welcoming a larger diplomatic role for Beijing in securing lasting stability.
As part of its expanding mediation efforts, China announced that its special envoy to the Middle East will visit Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia later this month.