Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday departed for a one-day visit to China for “in-depth discussions on regional developments”, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
The discussions are likely to focus on developing a framework and guiding principles for a prospective Iran-United States dialogue to end the war, a diplomat closely following the developments said.
According to the FO, Dar is undertaking the visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
It also marks his second visit to Beijing this year, the FO said. Both leaders will review “bilateral ties” and discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The FO stated that Pakistan and China enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, characterised by “close coordination and regular consultations” on regional development and international issues.
Shortly after Dar departed for the trip, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China and Pakistan will “strengthen” their cooperation on Iran.
“The two foreign ministers will strengthen strategic communication and coordination on the Iran situation and… make new efforts toward advocating for peace,” Mao told a press conference, calling China and Pakistan “all-weather” strategic partners.
The visit comes after Dar publicly hinted that Pakistan could host direct US-Iran talks in the coming days, as Islamabad stepped up efforts to position itself as a venue for negotiations.
Islamabad hosted a four-country meeting over the weekend involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, where foreign ministers met for about 100 minutes and emphasised the need for de-escalation and dialogue.
The ministers backed efforts to create conditions for structured negotiations between Washington and Tehran before departing on Sunday night.
Dar’s Beijing visit will last only a few hours, where he will further deliberate on ideas discussed during his telephone conversation with FM Wang last week.
Initiating peace talks in the war involving Iran “is no easy task”, Wang said, but noted that such efforts would be “conducive to restoring normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz”.
During the call, Wang also conveyed China’s support for Pakistan’s role as a mediator.
The Chinese foreign minister had also spoken to Dar on March 10, where he had commended Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting de-escalation and stability in the Middle East amid war.
Pakistan has taken centre-stage in a process to mediate between the US and Iran, being carried out in collaboration with Riyadh, Ankara and Cairo, with officials confirming that indirect exchanges between Washington and Tehran are continuing through structured message relays, rather than direct contact.
