China calls for Iran war to end and Hormuz to reopen as Araghchi visits Beijing

China has called for an immediate end to the Iran war and urged the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

The meeting comes at a critical moment. The United States and Iran appear to be edging closer to a possible agreement, President Donald Trump has paused the US military operation to force open the Strait of Hormuz, and China is preparing to host Trump for a summit with President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.

For Beijing, the crisis is no longer only a Middle East issue. Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, and its disruption has strained oil flows, increased market volatility and put pressure on major energy importers, including China.

China pushes for ceasefire and safe passage

Wang Yi said China supports an immediate and full ceasefire, opposes any restart of hostilities and wants negotiations to remain the priority. China also called for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has been disrupted since the war began.

That position gives Beijing a careful diplomatic balance.

China remains a close partner of Iran and has criticized US pressure on Tehran. But it also needs Hormuz reopened because the strait is vital to global energy supplies and Chinese trade. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes through the waterway, making a prolonged closure a direct economic risk for Beijing.

This is why China’s message to Iran is not simply supportive. It is also practical: the war must end, the strait must reopen, and negotiations must continue.

Iran seeks support before Trump arrives

Araghchi’s visit is his first trip to China since the war began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. The timing is significant because Trump is expected in Beijing next week for talks with Xi.

Iran appears to be using the visit to strengthen its diplomatic position before the Trump-Xi summit.

Araghchi described China as a close friend and said cooperation between Tehran and Beijing would grow stronger under current circumstances. He also said Iran wants a “fair and comprehensive agreement” in negotiations with the United States.

The message is clear: Iran wants China involved, but not at the cost of Iranian interests.

Tehran is likely seeking reassurance that Beijing will not make concessions to Washington during Trump’s visit that weaken Iran’s bargaining position. At the same time, Iran needs Chinese diplomatic and economic support as US sanctions and the blockade continue to pressure its economy.

Trump pauses Hormuz operation as diplomacy gains space

The meeting in Beijing follows Trump’s decision to pause Project Freedom, the US military effort to escort stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the pause was intended to give diplomacy room after what he described as “great progress” toward a final agreement with Iran.

Reuters reported that Iran is reviewing a new US proposal delivered through Pakistan, with sources saying the two sides may be moving closer to a framework that could end the war and lead to follow-up negotiations.

But the situation remains fragile. Trump has also warned that if Iran rejects the proposal, US military action could resume at a higher intensity.

That leaves China in a potentially important role. Beijing has influence with Tehran, but also has an economic interest in de-escalation. Washington, meanwhile, has publicly urged China to press Iran to loosen its grip on Hormuz.

Hormuz is the centre of the crisis

The Strait of Hormuz has become the main pressure point in the war.

Iran effectively closed the strait after the conflict began, disrupting energy flows and pushing fuel prices higher. The US later imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports as leverage in peace talks.

For Iran, Hormuz is leverage. For the United States, reopening it is necessary to restore credibility and calm markets. For China, it is an economic necessity.

That shared interest may create room for diplomacy. Even if Washington, Tehran and Beijing disagree sharply on the causes of the war, all three have reasons to avoid a prolonged collapse in Gulf shipping.

This is why Araghchi’s Beijing visit matters. China may be one of the few powers able to speak to Iran while also engaging directly with Trump next week.

US-China tensions add another layer

The war has also increased pressure between Washington and Beijing.

The US has sanctioned Chinese companies accused of buying Iranian oil, while China has pushed back against those measures and told Chinese firms not to comply with certain sanctions.

That creates a difficult dynamic before Trump’s visit.

On one hand, the US needs China’s help to pressure Iran over Hormuz. On the other hand, Washington is also sanctioning Chinese companies linked to Iranian oil trade. Beijing may use the Trump-Xi summit to demand concessions of its own, especially on sanctions and energy flows.

The Iran war has therefore become part of a wider US-China negotiation over security, trade, energy and influence in the Middle East.

China’s opportunity — and risk

Beijing has a chance to present itself as a stabilizing power.

If China helps push Iran and the US toward a deal, it can strengthen its image as a diplomatic actor in the Middle East and protect its energy interests at the same time.

But the risk is high. If Beijing presses Tehran too hard, it could damage ties with a long-term partner. If it does too little, Hormuz may remain closed and China’s own economy could suffer from high energy costs and disrupted trade.

That is why China’s position is carefully worded: full ceasefire, no renewed conflict, continued negotiations and safe passage through Hormuz.

It is not choosing Washington over Tehran. It is choosing stability over escalation.

Conclusion

Araghchi’s visit to Beijing shows that China is now central to the next phase of the Iran war.

Iran needs Chinese support. The US wants China to pressure Tehran. China wants the war to end and Hormuz reopened before energy disruption causes deeper global damage.

The timing makes the diplomacy even more important. Trump will arrive in Beijing next week with Iran, Hormuz, sanctions and energy security likely high on the agenda.

For now, the battlefield has shifted partly from the Gulf to the negotiating table.

The question is whether China can help turn a fragile pause into a real agreement — or whether Hormuz will remain the pressure point that keeps the war alive.