BEIJING, March 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - China and Pakistan called on Tuesday for an immediate end to the war in the Middle East, and for peace talks as soon as possible, as they agreed to boost their cooperation on Iran.

The two countries outlined a joint initiative "for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region", after a visit from senior Pakistani officials to Beijing.

Both countries have sought to mediate in the Middle East to prevent the conflict from escalating, with Islamabad saying it is ready to host "meaningful talks" between the United States and Iran.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and agreed to "strengthen strategic communication and coordination on the Iran situation and ... make new efforts towards advocating for peace", Beijing said.

Dar's ministry later said the two sides had agreed on a five-point plan, starting with the "immediate cessation of hostilities" and the "start of peace talks as soon as possible".

On talks, which the United States claims are ongoing but Iran denies, the governments said dialogue and diplomacy were "the only viable option to resolve conflicts".

"China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks," it added.

The plan also calls for an end to attacks on civilians and non-military targets, such as energy infrastructure and desalination plants.

Shipping lanes should be secured, allowing "the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships" through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, it added.

Both countries said a lasting peace should be based on the UN charter and international law.

Dar's visit comes after he hosted his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey on Sunday for weekend talks about trying to end the war, which was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

Concerns are running high about the impact of the fighting, including the choking of maritime traffic through the Strait.

China is a key partner of Iran but has not announced military assistance to Tehran, instead repeatedly calling for a ceasefire.

Tehran has refused to admit to holding official talks with Washington but has passed a response to President Donald Trump's 15-point plan to end the war via Islamabad, according to an anonymous source cited by the Iranian Tasnim news agency.

Pakistan is one of China's closest partners in the region, but Beijing has called for "calm and restraint" in Islamabad's own conflict with Afghanistan.

A Chinese special envoy spent a week mediating between the two countries, Beijing's foreign ministry said this month.