Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on July 16, 2025 in Tianjin. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China will continue to support Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity, resisting power politics and bullying, defending its legitimate rights and interests through political negotiation, and adhering to the principle of good-neighborliness and friendship to continuously improve and develop relations with its neighboring countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday, according to the Xinhua news Agency.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in North China's Tianjin during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who is in China for the meeting of the council of the ministers of foreign affairs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states.

As a comprehensive strategic partner, China is willing to work with Iran to deepen mutual trust, strengthen cooperation, expand exchanges and promote the steady and long-term development of China-Iran relations, Wang said.

Araghchi thanked China for its invaluable support of Iran while also expressing support for China's role as the rotating president of the SCO and its preparations for the Tianjin Summit, according to Xinhua. 

Iran is willing to enhance high-level exchanges between the two countries, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and continue to firmly support each other, he said.

China and Iran, as members of the Global South, are also members of BRICS as well as the SCO, said Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University.

He pointed out that Iran is currently in a difficult position as it comes under military pressure from the US and Israel, and China's expression of support at both the strategic and diplomatic levels holds significant importance for Iran.

According to a release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the ministers also exchanged their views on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran has absolutely no intention to develop nuclear weapons but will not give up its legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It is willing to resume negotiations and consultations with all parties as soon as possible on the premise of equality and respect to seek a political solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, according to Xinhua. 

Wang said that China has always opposed the use of force or the threat of force and advocates resolving differences through dialogue and consultation.

China highly values Iran's commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, respects Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and appreciates Iran's pursuit of peace through diplomatic means. China supports Iran in maintaining the momentum of dialogue with all parties, and is willing to continue to play a constructive role in promoting the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and stability in the Middle East region, he noted.

According to Reuters, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the UK agreed in a phone call on Monday to set the end of August as the de facto deadline for reaching a nuclear deal with Iran, Axios reported, citing three sources.

The report added that if no deal is reached by that deadline, the three European powers plan to trigger the "snapback" mechanism that automatically reimposes all UN Security Council sanctions that were lifted under the 2015 Iran deal.

Liu Zhongmin, a professor from the Middle East Studies Institute at Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the US' military attacks combined with current Western pressure have further complicated the Iranian nuclear issue, eroding the foundation for constructive negotiations, and creating a deeply fragile and complex situation.

The situation in the Middle East is still complex and sensitive, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday in response to a question regarding the uncertainty of the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. 

China stands ready to work with the rest of the international community to advocate peace, advance a political settlement and restore peace and stability in the Middle East as soon as possible, Lin said.

This is in the common interest of countries in the region and the international community, Lin said.

A misguided notion of "peace through strength" has been gaining traction in the Middle East, reflecting a return to the law of the jungle in international politics, a trend China has repeatedly rejected, Sun said.

By once again stressing the need to resolve differences through political dialogue and negotiations and firmly opposing the use of force, China has injected a strong impetus into the pursuit of peace and stability in the Middle East, Sun added.