China urges peace talks in Iran war

China called on all parties to create conditions for meaningful U.S.-Iran peace talks and emphasized the urgent need to seize the opportunity for a ceasefire. The foreign ministry highlighted diplomacy as the priority to end the conflict.

Reuters

March 26, 2026

FILE PHOTO: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian attends a press conference in Beijing, China April 10, 2025.

Tingshu Wang/Reuters

All parties should work in the same direction and "create conditions for starting truly meaningful and sincere peace talks", a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday when asked if China was aware of any ongoing negotiations between Iran and the U.S.

"The pressing priority is to actively promote peace talks, seize the opportunity of peace and promote the cessation of the war," Lin Jian, the ministry spokesperson, said during a regular press briefing.

-Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Writing by Xiuhao Chen and Liz Lee; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman/Reuters