China, Iran foreign ministers meet in Beijing amid Gulf tensions

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi held high-level talks in Beijing on Wednesday as regional tensions escalate over the Strait of Hormuz and renewed US-Iran confrontation.

The meeting comes just days after escalating naval incidents in the Gulf region, where the United States and Iran have exchanged accusations over maritime security operations.

The developments have further strained an already fragile ceasefire environment in the Middle East, reports Reuters.

The timing of the visit is seen as significant, taking place ahead of a scheduled China–US presidential engagement in Beijing on May 14–15 between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.

Trump recently claimed “major progress” toward a comprehensive deal with Tehran and announced a temporary pause in a US naval escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz, aimed at protecting commercial shipping.

Iran’s foreign minister has said the recent strikes came at a time when Tehran was reviewing Washington’s diplomatic proposals, reiterating that the crisis has no military solution.

China has maintained a neutral stance in the conflict but has consistently opposed attacks on Iran’s sovereignty and has positioned itself as a potential mediator in efforts to de-escalate regional tensions.