Can China play peacemaker as Iran’s foreign minister heads to Beijing?

Abbas Araghchi's visit to Beijing underlines China's expanding diplomatic profile in the Middle East as parties seek ways to reduce tensions stemming from the US-Israel war on Iran. Araghchi met with Chinese foreign officials in May and is due back in the Chinese capital for talks with Wang Yi, a trip that comes shortly before a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Washington later in September. Chinese leaders have framed their engagement as neutral and focused on ending the conflict.

President Xi used a recent BRICS summit address to call on Global South countries to help mediate the Middle East crisis, reiterating a four-point plan centered on peaceful coexistence, respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, and balancing development with security. While Xi suggested the bloc could play a peacemaking role, he did not announce any concrete mediation process. Iranian reactions to Xi's comments have been mixed: former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed them as constructive openings, while a Tehran academic cautioned that interpreting the remarks as a direct offer to mediate is overstated.

Araghchi is also expected to press China on Iran's nuclear dossier as Western capitals have stepped up pressure. Last week the United States and European allies pushed the International Atomic Energy Agency's board to refer Iran to the UN Security Council — a move that, 20 years ago, preceded several council resolutions and sweeping sanctions. China and Russia opposed the referral and retain veto power at the Security Council, limiting the prospect of new multilateral penalties.

Economic and military ties add layers to Beijing's position. China remains Iran's largest crude oil buyer and has said it will protect its own interests despite Western sanctions; it has reportedly continued to purchase Iranian oil stored beyond the reach of a US naval blockade. Western states have broadened sanctions efforts, including targeting China-linked entities alleged to facilitate Iranian transactions, though major Chinese banks have not been sanctioned. Separately, US media reports that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese sources before an attack on a US base in Jordan — an incident President Trump downplayed while also noting reciprocal espionage between the US and China.

Taken together, Beijing's diplomatic interventions, economic links to Tehran and Security Council influence mean China could play a consequential role in any attempt to reduce hostilities. Whether Chinese engagement will produce a concrete mediation plan or remain a broader push for de-escalation and multilateral diplomacy remains unclear as Araghchi's talks proceed in Beijing.