TEHRAN – Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire” between Iran and the United States as President Donald Trump intensifies threats against Tehran.

China has maintained a critical stance toward the US-Israeli war on Iran, which erupted on February 28. Tehran and Washington reached a fragile two-week ceasefire on April 8 after 39 days of joint US and Israeli military operations. Despite large-scale strikes across the country, the war failed to destroy Iran’s core military capabilities or reshape the nation's leadership structure in favor of Washington and Tel Aviv.

Nonetheless, President Trump once again threatened Sunday to wipe out "every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran" if Tehran walks away from a deal before the two-week ceasefire expires. Trump also imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports a week ago, which Iranian officials say violates the terms of the truce. In response to the continued blockade, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Since the outset of the war, Iran has asserted full control over the strategic waterway, preventing vessels affiliated with its adversaries from transiting.

In a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, the Chinese president called for the restoration of normal transit through the Strait of Hormuz. He also urged Iran and the US to prioritize dialogue. 

“China calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, supports all efforts to restore peace and insists disputes be resolved through political and diplomatic means,” Xi said.

He stated that China supports regional nations in “building a shared home of neighborliness, development, security and cooperation and taking their future and destiny into their own hands” to promote regional stability.

The conversation underscores China's established role as a neutral powerbroker in the Middle East region. Building on the historic 2023 Beijing-brokered rapprochement that restored diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran, President Xi is leveraging this existing trust to prevent the current conflict from spilling into a wider regional war. 

Last week, Xi suggested a four-point proposal for promoting peace in the Middle East.

First, he put emphasis on the principle of peaceful coexistence. He urged regional nations to improve relations to establish a sustainable security architecture that rejects the "law of the jungle" and bloc confrontation.

Second, he called on countries to respect the principle of national sovereignty, emphasizing that the territorial integrity of nations must not be violated under any pretext.

Third, he stated that to prevent the world from reverting to a state of chaos, it is imperative to firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, rather than a "rules-based order" defined by a single power.

Finally, Xi said that all countries should combine development with security. He noted that China would share its modernization efforts to strengthen regional progress, asserting that economic development is the ultimate safeguard for lasting peace.

China has repeatedly criticized US military operations and pressure on Iran, saying they undermine regional stability. Beijing has also officially labeled the US naval blockade of Iranian ports as “irresponsible and dangerous.”