Xi Jinping backs Pakistan mediation in US Iran war talks

Monday 25 May 2026 - 11:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Xi Jinping backs Pakistan mediation in US Iran war talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing on Monday, with discussions focused on diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. The meeting highlighted China’s support for Pakistan’s continued role as an intermediary in a war that has disrupted global energy markets since its outbreak in February.

Pakistan’s mediation efforts have placed it at the center of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The country previously helped broker a ceasefire in early April and later hosted direct talks between the two sides in Islamabad. Those discussions failed to produce a breakthrough, but diplomatic contact has continued through Pakistani channels as both sides exchange proposals. American and Iranian positions remain far apart, particularly on nuclear-related demands and sanctions relief.

Military leadership from Pakistan also featured prominently in the Beijing visit, with the army chief accompanying the prime minister. The presence of senior military figures underscores the institutional role of Pakistan’s security establishment in foreign policy mediation. Prior discussions between Pakistani leadership and Chinese officials in recent weeks signaled Beijing’s growing expectation that Islamabad intensify its diplomatic engagement in the conflict.

Beyond diplomacy, the Beijing visit produced major economic agreements between China and Pakistan worth more than 7 billion dollars. The deals span trade, agriculture, industry and technology under the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, reinforcing the broader strategic alignment between the two countries at a time of regional instability.

Despite ongoing mediation efforts, the conflict between the United States and Iran remains unresolved. Iranian officials have indicated limited progress in negotiations but say a final agreement is not close. The deadlock suggests continued reliance on third-party diplomacy, with Pakistan maintaining its position as a key intermediary in one of the most sensitive geopolitical confrontations of the year.