China urges ‘lasting’ US-Iran ceasefire, warns of global economic impact

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - China on Friday said the Iran war “should never have happened” and has inflicted serious losses on people across the region as well as on the global economy, urging dialogue instead of “a military solution” and stressing the need to achieve a “comprehensive and lasting ceasefire,” according to a statement from Beijing’s foreign ministry.

“This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue,” the ministry said, adding that the war “has caused serious losses to the people of countries in the region, including Iran.”

Beijing warned that the spillover effects of the conflict “continue to expand, severely impacting global economic development, the smooth operation of supply chains, international trade order, and the stability of global energy supply,” thereby harming “the common interests of the international community.”

“Finding a solution as soon as possible is beneficial to both the US and Iran, as well as to countries in the region and the world as a whole,” the statement added.

The US and Israel launched a wide scale aerial campaign against Iran on February 28, striking thousands of targets across the country over six weeks of hostilities before the warring sides agreed to a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire on April 8. The truce halted fighting for two weeks and paved the way for negotiations.

While the first round of talks concluded without a final agreement on April 11, a second round has yet to take place, with a comprehensive resolution to the conflict still pending.

China on Friday reaffirmed its support for the US-Iran ceasefire, stressing that “dialogue and negotiation are the right path, and that a military solution is not the way out.”

“Now that the door to dialogue has been opened, it should not be closed again,” the Chinese foreign ministry said, calling for efforts to “stabilize the momentum of easing tensions” and maintain “the general direction of a political solution.”

It added that a resolution addressing “the concerns of all parties,” including over the Iranian nuclear issue, should be achieved “through dialogue and consultation.”

In parallel with the diplomatic efforts, Iran and the US have engaged in tit-for-tat maritime measures. Tehran has tightened its grip on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington initiated a maritime blockade on Iranian ports on April 13.

Beijing stressed the need to “reopen shipping lanes as soon as possible, respond to calls from the international community, and jointly maintain the stability and smooth operation of global supply chains.”

It further emphasized that “a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire should be reached as soon as possible” to help restore peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf region, and to “lay the foundation for building a sustainable regional security architecture.”