Beijing: China urged respect for Tehran's rights as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz but called for freedom and safety of navigation through the key waterway amid conflict between the US and Iran.

According to Anadolu Agency, China supports maintaining the momentum of the ceasefire and peace talks, which serves the fundamental interests of the Iranian people and reflects the shared expectations of countries in the region and the international community, stated Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. Wang emphasized that Iran's sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights and interests as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz should be respected and upheld.

Wang further noted that the freedom and safety of navigation through this international strait must be ensured. He highlighted that restoring normal transit through the strait is a shared call of the international community. The normal passage for global cargo, crude oil, as well as commercial shipping, has been disrupted since the US and Israel launched a war with Iran on February 28.

Since the beginning of the week, the US has implemented a blockade of Iranian ports facing the strait. Currently, the warring sides are observing a two-week ceasefire, mediated by Pakistan, since April 8. Efforts by mediators are ongoing to end the war.

Wang's call with Araghchi coincided with the visit of Pakistan army chief Gen. Asim Munir to Tehran on Wednesday to lay the groundwork for a possible second round of US-Iran talks. Pakistan recently hosted the highest-level direct engagement between Washington and Tehran, though the talks remained inconclusive. The South Asian country is preparing for a likely second round of talks, with US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliament Speaker Bagher Qalibaf expected to return to Islamabad in the coming days.