China's role as mediator applauded by experts

TEHERAN — China's efforts to address regional and global conflicts through talks and negotiations have created a win-win situation, benefiting all the involved parties and contributing to peace and stability worldwide, Iranian experts have said.

Over the past years, particularly in 2023, China has been actively seeking to help ease conflicts in different regions by playing a mediatory role.

An instance of such endeavors was a groundbreaking normalization deal reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Chinese capital in March, following several rounds of Teheran-Riyadh talks in Iraq on the resumption of diplomatic relations.

Meanwhile, China's position and proposition on the political settlement of the Ukraine issue and its efforts to achieve a sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, where a conflict has erupted since Oct 7 between Israel and Hamas, are all bids to achieving peace.

Hassan Beheshtipour, an Iranian international affairs analyst, said, "Such efforts by China have benefits for the involved parties, other regional states and even global ones, and help create a win-win situation."

For instance, he said, the resumption of the Teheran-Riyadh relations brokered by China without creating much media hype benefited not only Iran and Saudi Arabia but also regional countries, such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.

"Iraq sees resumed cooperation and relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in line with its own stability and security," said the analyst, adding that Syria and Saudi Arabia followed suit and resumed diplomatic missions in both countries, followed by Syria's return to the Arab League.

'Win-win situation'

Echoing similar viewpoints, Majidreza Hariri, the president of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that, of great importance regarding China's efforts to establish peace and resolve disputes was that "they eventually help create a win-win situation".

"I believe that China has managed to play a positive role in helping resolve international conflicts and differences, as it has never adopted an interference-based approach toward such issues, but a mediatory one," Hariri said.

Xinhua