Tehran, Sept 16: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is heading to Beijing as China seeks to position itself as a voice for de-escalation in the US-Israel war with Iran.
Araghchi is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, his second visit to Beijing since the conflict began in late February. The timing is notable: his May visit came shortly before US President Donald Trump travelled to China, while this week’s meeting precedes a planned Trump-Xi Jinping meeting in Washington later this month.
China has presented itself as a neutral actor seeking an end to the conflict. At the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on member states to help mediate the Middle East crisis and said Beijing was prepared to work with other countries toward that goal.
Xi stopped short of announcing a specific US-Iran mediation initiative. Instead, he reiterated a four-point approach focused on peaceful coexistence, respect for sovereignty, international law, and balancing development with security.
China has strong economic reasons to want the war contained. The conflict has disrupted energy and financial markets, while Beijing remains Iran’s largest buyer of crude oil. At the same time, China has traditionally been cautious about becoming deeply involved in conflicts where diplomatic efforts could fail.
Iranian views of Xi’s position differ. Former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed what he called Xi’s constructive initiatives and said multilateral diplomacy offered a path to stability. Hamed Vafaei, a University of Tehran professor and China specialist, took a more cautious view, saying interpreting Xi’s remarks as a direct offer to mediate was largely an interpretation rather than an explicit proposal.
Araghchi is also expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme as Western pressure on Tehran intensifies.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s board last week referred Iran to the UN Security Council after the US and European powers backed the move. The previous referral, two decades ago, led to six Security Council resolutions and sweeping sanctions.
The latest move may have limited practical impact because China and Russia oppose further measures and can veto new Security Council action.
Meanwhile, Washington continues to expand sanctions against Iran through its “Operation Economic Outcast” campaign and a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports. Several China-linked refineries, companies and financial channels accused of facilitating Iranian trade have been sanctioned, although major Chinese banks have so far avoided direct action.
The US Treasury on Monday also sanctioned Russia’s VTB Bank under Iran-related measures. The bank operates a licensed branch in mainland China and has access to China’s national payment system.
Despite mounting pressure, Beijing has continued buying Iranian oil and has said it will protect its economic interests.
Araghchi’s Beijing talks will therefore test how far China is prepared to move from calls for peace toward active diplomacy, while balancing its ties with Tehran against its increasingly important relationship with Washington. Source: (Al Jazeera)
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