China, Pakistan urge US, Iran to cease hostilities and resume talks

China and Pakistan on Friday urged the United States and Iran to halt hostilities and resume negotiations, according to a joint statement issued after their foreign ministers met in Shanghai.

The call came as fighting between Washington and Tehran intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global trade.

What did China and Pakistan say about the US-Iran conflict?

China and Pakistan jointly urged the United States and Iran to immediately cease hostilities and return to dialogue, according to a statement from Beijing's foreign ministry. The appeal followed a meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Shanghai on Friday, as tensions escalated near the Strait of Hormuz.

Wang described the earlier US-Iran agreement as hard-won and said peace could not be allowed to slip away at the final stage. "Peace is before our eyes, (we) cannot fall at the last hurdle and even more so cannot lose what we have gained," he said. Both countries have positioned themselves as mediators throughout the months-long conflict, which reignited a month after a preliminary truce was signed.

What happened in the latest US-Iran attacks?

The United States and Iran exchanged strikes again on Friday, extending a conflict that has drawn in the wider region. Tehran accused Washington of hitting civilian sites, including an airport, a railway station and two bridges. Iran said it retaliated by launching a barrage of drone strikes against US military allies and infrastructure in Kuwait.

What is the status of the Strait of Hormuz?

The Strait of Hormuz reopened briefly after the United States and Iran signed a ceasefire agreement in June. Tehran said last week the waterway would remain closed until the United States ends its aggression. The United States has also reimposed a blockade on Iran's ports.