China steps up Middle East diplomacy with Iran and Oman meetings

Beijing urges dialogue on US-Iran war, sends envoy to Gulf as Xi hosts first Omani head of state visit since 1978.Published On 2 Nov 20262 Nov 2026China is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, including over the US-Israel war on Iran, following a lapse in activity.Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday met a senior Iranian security official in Beijing, while President Xi Jinping hosted Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for a landmark state visit.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3China’s political elite gather for talks on Communist Party disciplinelist 2 of 3Iran’s calculations as US escalation looms: Trust, midterms, Hormuzlist 3 of 3How to stop the US-Israel war on Iranend of listWang told Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, that dialogue and negotiation remained “the only viable path forward” as conflicts in the region “drag on and risk further spillover”.He also reaffirmed China’s support for Iran’s sovereignty and security. Beijing has consistently blamed the US and Israel for starting the conflict.Stalled“China is very close to Tehran; it is the biggest trading partner of Iran, the biggest customer of Iranian...