Shehbaz Sharif, Asim Munir in China as Pak pushes Iran war mediation; Xi calls ties with Islamabad ‘unbreakable’

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir are in Beijing, China, on Monday (May 25) for talks with Chinese leaders as part of ongoing mediation efforts to formally end the Iran war. On Friday and Saturday, Munir was also in Iran alongside Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to mediate to formally end the war.

China has said it is willing to work with Pakistan to make positive contributions to the early return of peace and stability in the Middle East. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began his four-day official visit to China on Saturday in Hangzhou, located in Zhejiang province.

Pakistan has recently taken on a key mediating role between the United States and Iran, hosting direct talks between the two sides last month. However, the discussions did not result in a long-term agreement. Meanwhile, China has largely stayed in the background, facilitating phone conversations and meetings with officials from Gulf nations affected by the conflict.

Speaking to Chinese leaders in Beijing, Sharif said "the world is passing through a critical moment", Pakistan television showed. "Pakistan has played a sincere role in mediating between the US and Iran. Field Marshal was in Tehran and did not want to miss this great visit," the images carried by Pakistan's state channel PTV showed. "Things are moving in the right direction. I would like to thank China's support in promoting peace."

China hails Beijing’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan

Xi Jinping, China’s President, hailed the “unbreakable” friendship of Beijing with Pakistan during their meeting in Beijing, seeking to deepen the “all-weather” partnership between the two countries, according to Reuters.

In April, Pakistan hosted the only face-to-face negotiations between American and Iranian officials since the conflict began. Asim Munir played a prominent role during the talks, welcoming both delegations and sharing a cordial interaction with JD Vance. The negotiations later collapsed after Iran accused the United States of placing “excessive demands” during the discussions.