China calls for end to Iran war and Hormuz to reopen during Araghchi visit

By Al Jazeera Staff
6 May 2026

Iran’s foreign minister meets his Chinese counterpart one week before President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing as tensions with the United States mount over the Strait of Hormuz.

Araghchi’s visit on Wednesday comes a week before US President Donald Trump visits Beijing for a summit with President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.

During the meeting, Araghchi said China is a close friend of Iran and bilateral “cooperation will even become stronger under current circumstances”, the Iranian Students’ News Agency reported.

“We will do our best to protect our legitimate rights and interests in the negotiations. … We only accept a fair and comprehensive agreement,” he ‌said of talks between Iran and the US to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has disrupted regional energy infrastructure and global oil and gas supplies.

Wang called for Iran and the US to reopen the strait “as soon as possible”, according to a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

“China considers that a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay, that it is even more unacceptable to restart hostilities, and that continuing to negotiate remains essential,” the statement added.

Araghchi’s trip to Beijing marks his first visit to China – a close ally of Tehran – since the war began on February 28. Araghchi had spoken with Wang by telephone at least three times since the outbreak of hostilities.

Reporting from Beijing, Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu said Iran had three main points it wanted to get across to Beijing during the meeting: its position on the war, reaffirming its ties with China before Trump’s arrival and securing continued economic and diplomatic support.