China ‘willing’ to play a constructive role to cool Pakistan-Iran tensions

Beijing offers to mediate tensions between Pakistan and Iran, leveraging its close partnerships and economic ties.

Beijing has said it was willing to mediate tensions between Pakistan and Iran, after the two countries traded deadly air strikes on militant targets on each other’s territory.

China is a close partner of both nations, who enjoy extensive military and economic ties with Beijing and play important roles in its geopolitical ambitions.

Straddling Central Asia and a vast territory from the Himalayas to the Persian Gulf, Pakistan, and Iran are well-positioned in Beijing’s long-term plans to reshape regional geopolitics in its own interests.

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday that China was “willing to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation” if both sides wished.

“China commands influence and leverage in both capitals, and both countries expect a rising China to dominate Asia for decades to come,” Sameer P. Lalwani, a senior expert on South Asia at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), said.

“Beijing possesses some credibility to press the leaderships of both countries for cooler heads to prevail.”

Pakistan is one of Beijing’s closest partners, and the two have long described ties as “deeper than oceans, higher than mountains, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel”.