China has called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, urging Iran to restore safe and unrestricted navigation through one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.
In a statement relayed during talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that freedom of navigation through the Strait must be guaranteed, describing it as being in the “unanimous interest” of the international community, the Independent reported.
The intervention reflects Beijing’s deep economic stake in stability in the Gulf. China is Iran’s largest trading partner and the principal buyer of its oil, making disruptions to maritime routes in the region a direct economic concern for Chinese policymakers.
The call comes amid heightened tensions in the region following reports of increased restrictions on shipping linked to the wider conflict involving Iran. Disruption to the Strait has raised concerns over global energy flows, given its role as a critical chokepoint for oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
Elsewhere, confusion has emerged over proposed diplomatic engagement between Lebanon and Israel, after Beirut denied any knowledge of planned peace talks announced by US President Donald Trump.
A Lebanese presidential source told the BBC it was unaware of any scheduled contact, despite Trump stating on social media that talks between the two sides were imminent, describing them as the first direct engagement in decades.
Lebanon and Israel recently held limited diplomatic contacts in Washington following weeks of intensified conflict involving Hezbollah, during which Lebanon’s health ministry reported more than 2,000 deaths and over one million people displaced as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
The contrasting statements underline the fluid and often contradictory nature of diplomatic signalling in the region, where ceasefire discussions, backchannel negotiations and military escalation have frequently unfolded in parallel.
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