China demonstrated its support for Iran in India during the first meeting between high-level representatives of the two countries since last week’s signing of a framework agreement between Washington and Tehran to begin negotiations, aimed at concluding a long-term peace agreement.
On 22 June, Beijing’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, held talks with Qadir Nezami, Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, to discuss the ongoing peace talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi.
According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang described the provisions of the agreement between Iran and the US as “hard-won”, adding that Beijing was ready to “continue to offer assistance in its own way” to play a role in the peace process.
Nezami said he “hopes that China will continue to play an important role” in facilitating the implementation of the first phase of the agreement.
This meeting took place against the backdrop of the first round of face-to-face talks between the US and Iran since the agreement was signed on 22 June in Burgenstock (Switzerland), mediated by representatives from Pakistan and Qatar. The talks had previously been postponed due to the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Hezbollah is both a militant group and a political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. The United States regards it as a terrorist organisation, although the European Union has blacklisted only its armed wing.
Wang expressed his gratitude to Beijing and Islamabad for their role in mediating the negotiations between the United States and Iran to date. China has worked closely with Islamabad, its close ally, to indirectly defuse the conflict, as Pakistan has acted as a key mediator in this dispute.