Iran's FM says US willing to keep talking, welcomes China's help

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that the United States has again sent messages signaling willingness to continue negotiations aimed at ending the war that erupted with American and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, the Korea Times reported.

The remarks signal cautious diplomatic momentum three months into a conflict that began Feb. 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces struck Iranian territory. Pakistan has served as lead mediator, while China is pressing for a role that could reshape the regional order.

Araghchi made the remarks to reporters in New Delhi after attending a BRICS bloc meeting. "We received messages again from the Americans saying that they are willing to continue the talks and continue the interaction," he said, according to the Korea Times, which cited AFP.

The Iranian minister expressed strong interest in Chinese involvement in brokering a settlement. "We appreciate any country who has the ability to help, particularly China," Araghchi said. He described ties between Tehran and Beijing as deeply rooted, adding, "We have very good relations with China, we are strategic partners to each other, and we know that (the) Chinese have a good intention, so anything that can be done by them to help diplomacy would be welcomed by the Islamic republic."

Beijing has pledged not to transfer military equipment to Iran while working through diplomatic channels to end the conflict. A Chinese foreign ministry official told AFP that "there is no point in continuing this conflict, which should not have happened in the first place." Chinese President Xi Jinping has separately offered assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway whose disruption has reverberated through global energy markets.

Pakistan, the designated lead mediator, hosted a first round of talks in Islamabad last month that produced no breakthrough. Araghchi acknowledged the effort while criticizing Washington's conduct at the table. "The mediation process by Pakistan has not failed yet, but it is in a very difficult course, mostly because of the Americans' behaviour and the mistrust which exists between us," he said.

No agreement emerged from the April talks in Islamabad. With the conflict now entering its fourth month and the Strait of Hormuz under strain, the coming weeks of diplomacy — through Islamabad, Beijing or elsewhere — may determine whether the parties find a path toward de-escalation.