Chinese officials encouraged Iran to find a path to a ceasefire with the US

(Patria) - China, which is Tehran's largest trading partner, has spoken with Iranians to win them over, according to two officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, AP reported.

Chinese officials have been in contact with Iranian officials to encourage Tehran to find a path to a ceasefire agreement as negotiations developed, the officials said.

Beijing has primarily worked with intermediaries, including Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt, as it sought to leverage its influence, said one of the officials, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the diplomatic matter.

China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to AP's request for comment.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said: "All parties must show sincerity and quickly end this war that should not have happened at all."

China is "deeply concerned" about the impact the conflict is having on the global economy and energy security, Mao Ning said.

US President Donald Trump stated that he believes China helped encourage Iran to negotiate a ceasefire, AFP reported.

"From what I hear – yes," Trump said in a phone call when asked if Beijing had participated in pressuring Tehran, which is a Chinese ally.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told CNN that China has been "working towards achieving a ceasefire and ending the conflict" since the beginning of the conflict.

"China welcomes all efforts that lead to peace," said Liu Pengyu.

"We hope that the relevant parties will seize the opportunity for peace, overcome differences through dialogue, and end the conflict as soon as possible," he added.

Beijing has previously played an important role in international diplomacy, including mediating the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023, and Chinese President Xi Jinping promotes China's role as a global mediator.