Pakistan, China welcome Iran-US understanding, urge continued engagement

Pakistan and China on Tuesday welcomed the understanding reached in the Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), describing the consensus as an important step towards promoting sustainable peace and stability in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOF) said.

Iran and the US recently agreed to a peace deal brokered by Pakistan, with both sides declaring an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

The development has been welcomed by world leaders, who hailed the breakthrough deal aimed at ending the three-month conflict in the Middle East and praised Pakistan for its mediating role.

Read: Trump says Iran deal ‘all signed’ and adds Strait of Hormuz will be ‘fully opened’ on Friday

The remarks came during a telephone conversation between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

According to a statement issued by FO, the two leaders welcomed the development.

“Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised Pakistan’s proactive diplomatic outreach and robust mediation efforts, which helped create conducive conditions for sustained engagement between Iran and the United States,” the statement said.

He appreciated Pakistan for making a crucial contribution in promoting international peace and stability.

It added that DPM Dar appreciated China’s consistent support for Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy between Iran and the US.

Also read: US and Iran sign cease-fire deal, details still unclear

He acknowledged China’s important contributions to restoring regional peace and stability, especially President Xi Jinping’s Four-Point Proposal and the Pakistan-China Five-Point Initiative.

“Both leaders emphasized the importance of implementing the understandings reached between the parties and maintaining a continued commitment to a peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues,” the statement said.

They also noted the importance of the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to the global economy, energy security and international trade.

“The two sides also discussed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent successful visit to China and agreed to continue robust follow-up and implementation of its findings,” it added.

Dar also stressed the importance of working together on the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and further strengthening bilateral economic and investment cooperation.

“Both sides agreed to remain in close contact and continue consultations on important bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest,” the statement concluded.

The war, which triggered a global energy crisis, erupted after the US and Israel carried out a series of attacks on Iran on February 28, which led to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The peace deal that ended the three-month conflict in the Gulf was announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the early hours of Monday in a post on X. He said the official signing ceremony of the agreement would be held on June 19 in Switzerland.

Read more: Pakistan wins global praise for brokering US-Iran deal

US President Donald Trump also declared an end to the war in a post on Truth Social.

Pakistan’s leadership, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, have actively pursued diplomatic engagement between the two sides since the beginning of the conflict.

The first cease-fire agreement reached between the US and Iran in April was also forged through Pakistan’s efforts.

Trump has repeatedly praised Pakistan’s role as a mediator during the conflict, while world leaders have also praised Islamabad for facilitating diplomatic engagement between the two sides, which eventually led to the peace deal.