Can China play peacemaker as Iran’s foreign minister heads to Beijing?
Tehran and Beijing explore diplomatic paths amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.
Tehran, Iran – When Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi last visited China in May, it came shortly before a trip by United States President Donald Trump to the same country.
Araghchi is expected to be back in Beijing on Wednesday, his second visit to the Chinese capital since the US-Israel war on Iran began at the end of February. Once again, the trip comes shortly ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, this time in Washington later in September
The meetings in May and now in September highlight the role China has played during the war, framing itself as a neutral party that wants an end to the conflict.
Last week, the US and its European allies, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, successfully pushed the board of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to refer Iran to the UN Security Council.