header
                        banner
WORLD

China says willing to mediate between Pakistan and Iran after strikes

BEIJING, Jan. 19: Beijing said Thursday it was willing to mediate between Pakistan and Iran following an exchange of...
By AFP/RSS

BEIJING, Jan. 19: Beijing said Thursday it was willing to mediate between Pakistan and Iran following an exchange of fire against militant targets in their border region, including a strike that Tehran said killed at least seven civilians.


"The Chinese side sincerely hopes that the two sides can exercise calm and restraint and avoid an escalation of tension," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular press conference.


Related story

India says Modi never asked for Trump to mediate over Kashmir


"We are also willing to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation if both sides so wish," she said. Nuclear-armed Pakistan and neighbouring Iran are both battling simmering insurgencies along their sparsely populated border regions.


On Thursday, Pakistan said it carried out strikes against militant targets in Iran. Tehran said it had summoned the Pakistani charge d'affaires in response to the attack, which killed at least seven people.


Both countries are close partners of Beijing and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Mao reiterated Iran and Pakistan were "friendly countries to China, and countries with important influence".

Related Stories
WORLD

Trump offers to mediate 'raging' India-China borde...

1 min read
WORLD

Qatar says Kuwait trying to mediate, solve Gulf cr...

1 min read
WORLD

Pakistan hits 'terrorist hideouts' in airstrike on...

1 min read
WORLD

Pakistan says time right for Trump mediation on Ka...

1 min read
WORLD

Attack on Iran’s Natanz plant muddies US, Iran nuk...

1 min read