China’s top diplomat told his Iranian counterpart that Beijing “supports maintaining the momentum of the ceasefire and peace talks” in a phone call on Wednesday, as negotiators from Pakistan landed in Tehran to discuss a second round of US-Iran talks.

Peace talks are “in the fundamental interests of the Iranian people and are also the shared hope of regional countries and the international community,” Wang Yi said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

He said China was willing to continue to play a “constructive role” towards peace in the Middle East after a first round of Iran-US talks in Islamabad at the weekend failed to reach an agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran “looks forward to China playing a positive role in promoting peace and a cessation of conflict”, according to the Chinese readout.

Araghchi also expressed “Iran’s willingness to continue seeking a rational, realistic solution through peaceful negotiations”, it said.

Wang also said Iran’s “sovereign security and legitimate rights and interests should be respected and safeguarded” as a country bordering the vital Strait of Hormuz, while “at the same time… freedom of navigation and security should be guaranteed”.

A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, as Islamabad intensified efforts to mediate between the United States and Iran.

The visit is aimed at advancing diplomatic engagement and easing regional tensions.