US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has asked China to use its influence over Iran to help end the war. The initiative has received the support of President Donald Trump, and Beijing has already delivered the message to Tehran, The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius claims, citing a US official familiar with the discussions.
The information has not been publicly confirmed by either Chinese or Iranian authorities. Thus, the claim of specific Chinese diplomatic intervention remains based on a single unnamed US source quoted by Ignatius.
Trump has already sought Xi’s assistance
According to Ignatius’s report, Trump asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping for help during talks in Washington in September. In a private conversation, Xi stated that he shared the view that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
This is separate from the claim that a message was delivered to Tehran and does not indicate whether Iran responded or took any specific action. No public information about a reaction by the Iranian authorities through this channel has been provided.
China has important economic and diplomatic relations with Iran, which, according to the US position, gives it an opportunity to speak with Tehran in a way unavailable to Washington. At the same time, Beijing has not announced that it is taking on the role of mediator in the conflict.
The issue may be discussed in Shenzhen
The issue is expected to be raised again at the meeting between Trump and Xi during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. APEC Leaders’ Week begins on November 14, while the Economic Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled for November 19 in Shenzhen, China, the organization reports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend. The Associated Press reported that China’s Foreign Ministry had confirmed communications with other countries regarding a possible meeting between Xi, Trump and Putin, but stressed that its format and content had not yet been finalized.
“China maintains communication with the relevant countries regarding a meeting between the three heads of state,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, as quoted by the Associated Press.According to the Associated Press, Beijing is not showing readiness for specific talks on Iran beyond its general calls for peace and an end to wars. This raises questions about whether the Chinese side will take on an active mediating role or limit its actions to delivering messages between Washington and Tehran.
Sources: washingtonpost.com, apnews.com, timesofisrael.com