China’s Middle East envoy touring in the region to mediate between Iran, America and Israel to stop the war
China dispatched its special envoy for Middle East affairs, Jun Zhai, on an intensive regional diplomatic tour that began in the first week of March 2026. The aim was to mediate a halt to the escalating military tensions between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. This tour followed the outbreak of armed conflict in the region, which began with US-Israeli strikes against Iran in late February 2026, leading to a fierce Iranian response targeting facilities and sites in the region. Through this mediation, China seeks to protect its massive economic investments in the Middle East’s energy sector and enhance its image as a global peace force capable of filling the diplomatic vacuum in the region. Here, the Chinese position also falls within the framework of its competition with the United States. Continued American diplomatic and military support for Israel contributes to strengthening ties between China and the Global South, which views continued American support as a cause of ongoing tension in the region. This could lead to a wider regional conflict, which would further complicate Chinese rhetoric and actions advocating for a more just multipolar international order.
As for the details of the tour and the parties involved in the visit of Chinese Special Envoy for Middle East Affairs Zhai Jun, the first stop was Saudi Arabia. There, on March 8, 2026, Zhai Jun met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh, where he emphasized that promoting peace and ending the fighting is the only way out of the crisis. In addition to the efforts of the Chinese envoy for regional coordination, including his meeting with the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, to discuss ways to reduce tensions and protect regional stability, and his efforts to communicate with the parties to the conflict, the Chinese envoy’s tour coincided with calls made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to his counterparts in Iran, Israel, Russia, France, Oman, and the UAE. During these calls, he emphasized China’s rejection of the US-Israeli military attacks against Iran and the use of force as a solution to conflicts.
As for the objectives of the Chinese mediation, Chinese efforts focused on several key points during this tour, most importantly calling for an immediate ceasefire and urging all parties to immediately cease military operations to prevent the region from sliding into the abyss of the unknown. China also called for the protection of civilians and infrastructure by establishing red lines to prevent the targeting of civilians or non-military facilities, especially those related to energy. China has emphasized the importance of maintaining energy and maritime security to ensure the safety of international shipping lanes, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, and to guarantee the stability of global oil supplies, of which China is a major consumer. China has called on all parties to the conflict to immediately return to the negotiating table, seeking to bring the warring parties back to political dialogue instead of open military confrontation.
China’s multilateral international efforts to contain the escalating conflict continued. China supported Russia’s request, at Iran’s behest, for an emergency meeting of the Security Council to discuss the developments following the launch of extensive Israeli and US strikes on Iranian territory. During this session, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, condemned the Israeli and US violations of Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. Beijing also expressed its opposition to the use of force in international relations, illegal unilateral sanctions, and armed attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities. He added that the country with significant influence over Israel should play a constructive and active role, referring to Washington. China, along with other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), condemned the Israeli and American strikes on Iranian territory, which harm regional and international security and jeopardize global peace and stability.
The Chinese initiative to contain the conflict and de-escalate tensions between Israel, the United States, and Iran is based on calling on all parties to immediately cease fire and return to the negotiating table, emphasizing that force is not the way to solve problems. Beijing’s mediation relies on a range of economic and political leverage, most importantly its economic weight with Iran. China is Iran’s largest economic backer, importing approximately 80% of Iranian oil exports (according to 2025-2026 data). The two countries also have a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement involving billions of dollars in investments, granting Beijing long-term influence in the infrastructure and energy sectors. China is also Iran’s largest trading partner, and its economic lifeline is vital to the Iranian economy, giving Beijing significant leverage to persuade Tehran to exercise restraint. Furthermore, Iran is a key pillar of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as its geographical location serves as a bridge connecting Central Asia to the Middle East. Therefore, it remains in China’s interest to keep Iran out of the ongoing military conflict, allowing China to implement projects that would provide land routes, reducing its total dependence on traditional sea routes like the Strait of Malacca, and enabling the export of Chinese goods to markets in the Middle East and Europe.
Here, Beijing enjoys balanced relations with the Gulf states, enabling it to maintain continuous communication channels with them. In March 2026, Beijing held high-level talks with Saudi Arabia and the UAE to ensure regional security and safe shipping lanes. China thus maintains a balanced political stance, portraying itself as a neutral mediator and a stabilizing force, leveraging its good relations with Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE to exert pressure to prevent the conflict from escalating. Furthermore, China’s membership in the UN Security Council allows it to use its platform at the United Nations to oppose the law of the jungle and military interventions, which provide political cover for Iran in international forums. China affirms that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of the Gulf states are inviolable, and it seeks to protect its substantial investments in the Gulf energy sector from the repercussions of war. China adopts a position criticizing US and Israeli military strikes against Iran and calls on Washington to assume its responsibility in preventing escalation. Despite the strained political relations with Israel, shared economic interests remain a key element in the dialogue.
Despite China’s capacity for mediation, numerous challenges, complexities, and obstacles hinder Beijing’s efforts to de-escalate the current US-Israeli conflict with Iran. While China previously succeeded in mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the current conflict is fundamentally different due to several pressing challenges, most notably the expanding scope of the conflict. Therefore, Chinese mediation faces difficulties given the direct US involvement in military operations and the deteriorating internal situation in Iran since the beginning of 2016. Furthermore, the US administration under President Trump has not publicly indicated any reliance on Chinese mediation to involve Beijing as a key mediator in the direct conflict with Tehran. Chinese mediation also faces obstacles due to China’s lack of a security umbrella or military presence in the region capable of enforcing a ceasefire, and its influence over Israel remains limited compared to that of the United States. However, there are several indicators of success regarding China’s potential role as a mediator, particularly after recent Chinese pressure successfully persuaded Iran to refrain from targeting oil and gas tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Qatari ports), thus protecting global energy supplies.ports,