2026年5月6日，上外中东研究所丁隆教授就伊朗外长访华接受Global Times采访（见Global Times2026年5月7日第1-2版：China reaffirms to help restart talks, de-escalate Mideast crisis），全文如下：
Chinese FM meets Iranian counterpart amid tension in Mideast,
stressing China ready to help restart talks, de-escalate Mideast crisis
Amid lingering tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and with no peace agreement between Tehran and Washington finalized yet, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, as the Chinese side stressed that China will remain committed to deescalating tensions and ending hostilities, and continue to provide support for initiating peace talks, playing a greater role in restoring peace and tranquility in the Middle East.
Chinese experts noted that as the conflict stands at a crossroads in its future direction, between peace talks and prolonged confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister's visit to China carries significance as China plays an important role in mediating peace dialogue and averting the likelihood of sliding back into renewed escalation of military conflict.
The current situation has reached a critical juncture over whether the conflict can be brought to an end, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday during his meeting with Araghchi. China supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, and appreciates Iran's willingness to seek a political resolution through diplomatic channels, Wang said.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the international community shares common concerns over restoring normal and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, urging relevant parties to respond to global calls as soon as possible.
On the nuclear issue, Wang said China appreciates Iran's commitment to not developing nuclear weapons, while also recognizing Iran's legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
During the meeting, Araghchi briefed Wang on the latest developments in Iran-US negotiations and Iran's considerations for the next steps. He said that Iran will firmly safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, while continuing to build consensus through peaceful negotiations in pursuit of a comprehensive and permanent solution.
Iran places its trust in China and expects China to continue its active role in promoting peace and ending hostilities. Iran also supports the establishment of a new post-war regional architecture that can balance development and security, Araghchi said.
Mediation efforts
Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, Wang and Araghchi have held several phone conversations in March and April, with the Chinese side repeatedly supporting Iran in safeguarding its own sovereignty and advocating peace talks to de-escalate tensions.
AP News reported that it was the first time since the start of the war that Araghchi has traveled to China, whose close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence.
The conflict stands at a critical crossroads. Despite military standoffs and clashes have largely eased, sending out tentative positive signals, substantial progress toward peace negotiations is still lacking. Therefore, the international community including Pakistan and China is working to advance a peaceful settlement, said Ding Long, professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University.
This visit on Wednesday not only reflects Iran's expectation for China to play a greater role, but also underscores China's important part in facilitating peace talks and preventing the situation from relapsing into fresh escalation of military conflict, the expert added.
Araghchi's visit to Beijing follows his trip to Russia, an earlier meeting with Omani officials in Muscat, and a previous stop in Islamabad of Pakistan, according to media reports.
The Chinese foreign minister said during the meeting on Wednesday that China maintains that Gulf and Middle East countries should take their own future and destiny into their own hands.
China encourages Iran and more Gulf nations to engage in dialogue and foster good-neighborly relations, and supports regional countries in building a peace and security architecture based on broad participation, safeguarding shared interests, and achieving common development, Wang said.
Ahead of the diplomatic meeting, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly urged China to support the US-led military operation in the Strait of Hormuz and also accused China of obstructing UN initiatives, to which Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China's position on the situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz is clear.
We hope relevant parties will act prudently, avoid further escalation, resolve disputes through dialogue, and restore peace and tranquility in the Strait soon, Lin said.
China will continue working for deescalation of the situation there and making utmost effort to protect the safety and security of Chinese ships and crew, the spokesperson added.
In response to another question that the US government has also been asking China to put more pressure on Iran to not only end the war but open the Strait of Hormuz, Lin said only through early and full ceasefire can there be necessary conditions for a deescalation.
The sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the coastal countries should be respected, the reasonable concerns of regional countries should be taken seriously, and the legitimate interests of the international community should be protected, Lin said.
Uncertain US-Iran backdrop
While Washington and Tehran continue their negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz also stands as a key sticking point.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a new warning to Iran, saying if they don't come to an agreement, the bombing starts and it will be at higher level and intensity than it was before, per CNN.
The president did leave open the door to an agreement, which he said would end the US military operation against the country but added it is possibly a big assumption the two sides can come to an agreement, the report said.
Hours earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the combat operation against Iran has ended and the US would instead focus on Project Freedom, the naval effort aimed at guiding commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Later on Wednesday, CNN cited Iranian media that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is possible under new procedures following the pausing of a short-lived US military operation in the waterway, the Revolutionary Guards' Navy said on Wednesday.
Tensions had once escalated in the Gulf, with the US military saying it destroyed several Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as cruise missiles and drones, per CNN. The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses dealt with missile and drone attacks from Iran for a second day, while another commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz reported being hit by an unknown projectile, the report said on Tuesday.
What happens next is unclear, BBC said, noting that the US administration had stressed that Project Freedom was a separate and distinct campaign from the blockade, which is meant to pressure Iran economically.
Zhu Yongbiao, a Middle East affairs expert with Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that challenges of the current situation persist, as the US continues to pursue a pressure approach toward Iran, seeking to gain more leverage at the negotiating table.
However it's noticeable that the two sides have basically formed a tacit understanding since their initial contact - neither party wishes the conflict to escalate or persist and both seek to contain costs in military, political and time dimensions, the expert noted.
The report by CNN also noted that when exchanges of fire between US and Iranian forces in the strait on Monday did not reignite the war, it signaled that neither side wanted full-scale fighting to resume.
Zhu added that while the risk of intense conflict cannot be entirely ruled out, a tilt toward negotiations between the two sides seems to be taking shape.
来源：Global Times
（本文观点仅为作者或被访者个人观点，不代表本研究机构立场）
