The brutal war imposed on Iran by Israel and the USA is now in its second month with no signs of abatement or a peace deal being struck.
Donald Trump has claimed that talks have been going on with the Iranian regime in Tehran but the Iranian side has vehemently rejected all such claims claiming that they have received messages from the Americans through intermediaries but that does not mean that any talks are going on. The situation remains extremely precarious and tricky with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and escalating oil prices in the volatile oil market. One silver lining to the dark ominous war hysteria was the recent visit of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt to Islamabad for consultations about finding a peaceful solution to the misadventure in the Middle East. After the huddle in Islamabad the leaders of the four countries called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and immediate direct talks between Iran and the USA. They also demanded an immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz and emphasized that all parties should refrain from the use of force and allow diplomatic efforts to douse the flames of war and prevent any spread of the ongoing conflict. In the aftermath of the Islamabad meeting of foreign ministers the foreign minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar flew to China and the result of his meetings with the Chinese counterpart was a five point plan fully endorsed and backed by the Chinese Govt. This plan is now being described as a structured diplomatic template to end the brutal senseless Iran-Israel-US war.
China and Pakistan have managed to come up with a new and practical diplomatic solution for ending the war and opening the Strait of Hormuz. This new diplomatic proposal was announced after the meeting of Ishaq Dar and the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing. The Trump regime in Washington did not comment on the Chinese Pakistan proposal but admitted once again that diplomatic contacts with Iran were going on. China today is a very significant global player and the Chinese backing of the peace plan has to be taken very seriously by all concerned including the regional states in the Gulf to help in ending this conflict. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has hurt Chinese interests and the Chinese economy is suffering because this closed trade route is vital for China and hence the Keen Chinese interest in ending hostilities in the region.
China and Pakistan jointly called for an immediate end to the Middle East war and the swift launch of peace talks, announcing a shared initiative to restore peace and stability in the Gulf and wider region. Both countries have sought to mediate in the Middle East to prevent the conflict from escalating, with Islamabad saying it is ready to host “meaningful talks” between the United States and Iran. The Pakistani foreign minister and his Chinese counterpart agreed totally to strengthen strategic communications and coordination on the Iran war and to make new efforts towards advocating for peace and an end to the conflict in Iran. Chinese Foreign Minter Wang said “ China supports and looks forward to Pakistan playing a unique and important role in easing the situation and resuming peace talks between the warring parties. Ishaq Dar responded that the two sides had agreed on five point plan starting with the immediate cessation of hostilities and the start of peace talks as soon as possible.
Pakistani efforts were fully backed by the Chinese side in keeping with the common interests of all parties. The US insists that talks are going on with Iran but his has been denied by the Tehran regime and they insist that dialogue and diplomacy were the only viable option to resolve this conflict. The Pakistani foreign ministry in a recent hand out reiterated “China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks.” The plan also calls for an end to attacks on civilians and non-military targets, such as energy infrastructure and desalination plants. Shipping lanes should be secured, allowing “the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships” through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, it added. Both countries said a lasting peace should be based on the U.N. charter and international law. China is being seen as an impartial player in this game particularly in Iran where the US is of course an aggressor and the EU has strained relations with Iran. China’s growing economic strength and its geopolitical influence in the world should have a significant impact in Tehran, Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries but it can’t be said if this Chinese initiative will be taken seriously in Washington and Tel Aviv.
—The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad
