Beijing recently hosted high-level talks with Iranian and Omani officials to advocate for de-escalation in the confrontation between the United States and Iran. Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to sign 14 cooperation pacts that include supply chains, green energy, artificial intelligence, and a currency swap. These diplomatic maneuvers aim to protect Chinese energy interests, as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz threaten a passage previously carrying one-fifth of global energy shipments. Special envoy Zhai Jun is also scheduled to visit Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia this month to maintain regional engagement.
Key points
Beijing is expanding bilateral ties with Oman to leverage strategic ports located outside…: Beijing is expanding bilateral ties with Oman to leverage strategic ports located outside the volatile Strait of Hormuz.
Chinese leadership is dispatching special envoy Zhai Jun to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia…: Chinese leadership is dispatching special envoy Zhai Jun to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia to further regional diplomatic engagement.
China and Oman issued a joint declaration calling for restored navigation in the Strait o…: China and Oman issued a joint declaration calling for restored navigation in the Strait of Hormuz alongside renewed United States-Iran talks.
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Beijing urges dialogue on US-Iran war, sends envoy to Gulf as Xi hosts first Omani head of state visit since 1978.
China is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, including over the United States-Iran war, following a lapse in activity.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday met a senior Iranian security official in Beijing, while President Xi Jinping hosted Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for a landmark state visit.
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Wang told Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, that dialogue and negotiation remained “the only viable path forward” as conflicts in the region “drag on and risk further spillover”.
He also reaffirmed China’s support for Iran’s sovereignty and security. Beijing has consistently blamed the US and Israel for starting the conflict.
Bridget Phillipson announced the formal severing of local administrative partnerships following an October vote that made the Greens the first major UK party to adopt this contentious stance. The rupture dismantles existing joint working arrangements across multiple English local authorities, escalating national political tensions over foreign policy into local governance. Green leadership has condemned the move as a harmful disruption to frontline community services.
Security personnel have officially concluded a multi-day operation that restricted movement across the occupied West Bank city. The removal of these constraints provides immediate relief to local residents after more than a week of severe travel limitations. However, military activity persists in other parts of the territory as separate regional tensions continue to develop.
President Masoud Pezeshkian revealed that Tehran is exchanging messages with Washington through intermediaries in an effort to bring an end to the wider Middle East war. While President Donald Trump has mixed threats of heavy bombing with diplomatic overtures, Tehran is pushing a fast-tracked plan to restore maritime transit and revive nuclear discussions. The outreach comes as expanding proxy conflicts and massive civilian displacements threaten to further destabilize the Persian Gulf.