Pakistan, China push to revive US‑Iran talks amid war
The five‑month war between the United States and Iran has entered a new phase as Washington announced a pause to its airstrikes after 13 consecutive days of attacks. President Donald Trump has withheld further escalation, citing a need to leave diplomatic space. At the same time, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Tehran to return to negotiations and highlighted China’s interest in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked by Iranian attacks on Gulf shipping. Pakistan is positioning itself as a mediator, holding exploratory talks with Iran’s interior minister Eskandar Momeni and its own army chief Asim Munir, and coordinating with Chinese officials after a visit by Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar to Beijing. Chinese officials warned that Iranian strikes on Gulf states and the Hormuz closure hurt Chinese trade routes, while the United States is reportedly pressuring Oman, Russia and other intermediaries to persuade Iran to re‑engage. Regional attacks have also spread to the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi allies struck Saudi oil facilities, and a separate incident in the Caspian Sea involved Ukraine. Despite the lull in U.S. strikes, both sides remain in a fragile cease‑fire dialogue, with mediators seeking to restore vessel transit through Hormuz and reduce wider escalation.