Chinese President Xi Jinping met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions
May 25, 2026: Xi Jinping met Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing on Monday amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending tensions linked to the Iran conflict. According to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua, the high-level meeting followed Sharif’s earlier talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during his official visit to China.
Sharif is accompanied by Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, who has emerged as a key intermediary in backchannel contacts between the United States and Iran. Speaking during the visit, Sharif said the world was passing through a “critical moment” and praised China’s role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator in the Iran-US crisis and previously hosted direct talks between officials from both countries.
China, meanwhile, has maintained a quieter diplomatic role by coordinating discussions with Gulf nations and encouraging regional stability. Pakistan’s mediation efforts gained attention after direct talks between US and Iranian officials held in Islamabad last month failed to produce a lasting breakthrough, with Tehran later accusing Washington of making excessive demands. Sharif’s four-day China visit also follows recent meetings in Tehran involving Munir and Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.