Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing as tensions with the United States mount over the Strait of Hormuz.
Araghchi’s visit on Wednesday comes a week before US President Donald Trump visits Beijing for a summit with President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.
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During the meeting, Araghchi said that China is a close friend of Iran and that bilateral “cooperation will even become stronger under current circumstances”, the Iranian Students’ News Agency reported.
“We will do our best to protect our legitimate rights and interests in the negotiations … We only accept a fair and comprehensive agreement,” he added regarding talks between Iran and the US to end the US-Israeli war on Iran that has disrupted regional energy infrastructure and global oil and gas supplies.
Araghchi’s visit to Beijing marks his first visit to China – a close ally of Tehran – since the war began on February 28. Araghchi had spoken with Wang by telephone at least three times following the breakout of hostilities.
Earlier in Washington, DC, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called on Beijing to press Iran to lift its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran in effect closed the strait – through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass – after the war began, pushing fuel and fertiliser prices sharply higher and prompting fears of a global recession.
Following a ceasefire in April, the US imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports in a bid to compel Tehran to agree to Washington’s terms in peace talks.
The war has also strained relations between Washington and Beijing, with the US sanctioning Chinese companies it accuses of purchasing billions of dollars worth of Iranian oil. Beijing hit back on Saturday, with the Ministry of Commerce ordering Chinese companies not to comply with the sanctions.
Ceasefire, Strait of Hormuz
Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, said two issues were expected to dominate the agenda in Araghchi and Wang’s meeting – maintaining the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“We know that China has been very critical of the US’s naval blockade on Iranian ports, calling it dangerous. But increasingly, Beijing has also been critical of Iran’s decision to continually close that vital chokepoint,” Yu said.
Wang was also expected to speak to Araghchi about what kind of support China can continue to offer Iran if it continues to close the strait.
“Iran will need Chinese backing, for example, at the United Nations, to continue to block any action that would put any additional sanctions on Iran because of its closure of the strait,” Yu said.
“Reportedly, the Iranian foreign minister is looking for clarity from Beijing as to what it will put on the table when Xi meets with Trump, and whether Beijing will be making any concessions to Washington that could make Tehran nervous.”
China, in return, “wants its own assurances that Iran won’t act in any escalatory way or any dramatic fashion in the lead-up to that very important meeting”, she added.
‘No peace, no war’
Ma Xiaolin, dean at the Institute for International Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University, said he believes Iran is looking for China to mediate in the talks with the US.
“Right now, Iran and America are in a very difficult moment, there’s no peace, no negotiation and no war. Both Tehran and Washington need to break through the crisis to make a peace agreement. China is an influential superpower which has good relations with Iran and with America,” he told Al Jazeera.
“In advance of Trump’s visit to China, I think Iran hopes China will do something to push ahead America to change its policy towards Iran, and also Iran will want to enhance its Belt and Road relationship with China, particularly in energy and oil supply.”
Araghchi’s visit to China came as Trump announced a pause on a US military operation to escort stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz.
The effort, which began on Monday, ratcheted up tensions, with the US military claiming it sank several Iranian boats that attempted to interfere in the operation. The United Arab Emirates also reported coming under missile and drone attacks from Iran, with one assault sparking a fire at an oil refinery. Tehran denies launching the attacks.
Trump said on Truth Social the pause was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries” and because “Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran”.
Pakistan has been leading efforts for a peace deal between Iran and the US.
The two sides held direct talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but the negotiations ended without an agreement. Key sticking points include US demands for Iran to halt all nuclear enrichment and Tehran’s wish to continue to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz.