China to work with UK to promote peace talks on Iran, says special envoy

China will work with the United Kingdom to promote peace talks on the Iran situation, a Chinese special envoy said during a meeting with the UK's ambassador in Beijing on Thursday.

Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, told Peter Wilson that China will act in the spirit of the four-point proposal put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping and work with all parties, the UK included, to actively promote peace talks and contribute to an early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.

The proposal has provided a Chinese approach to defusing the current crisis, he said.

Read more: Experts: Xi's proposal clarifies China's stance on Middle East, pushes for dialogue, security

China is closely following developments on Iran and urges parties concerned to heed calls from the international community to promote peace, end hostilities and seek solutions through dialogue and negotiation, Zhai said.

Wilson laid out the UK's stance on the tensions across the Middle East, particularly regarding passage security in the Strait of Hormuz.

He noted that as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the UK share aligned positions on restoring peace and stability in the region.

The UK stands ready to step up communication and coordination with China on issues including de-escalating the regional crisis and resuming shipping through the strait, he added.

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