The tripartite meeting of officials from China, Oman, and Iran in Beijing was held to explore the possibility of a new round of mediation between Tehran and Washington with economic and security guarantees from China. This meeting comes at a time when bilateral relations among the mentioned countries are a priority in the negotiations.
Challenges and Opportunities for Mediation
According to an Asian source, Oman was sidelined in previous mediation efforts that involved Pakistan and Qatar, and at that time, there were criticisms from the U.S. regarding Muscat's close ties to Tehran. However, the failure of these mediations and the decline of trust among the parties have created the necessity to reactivate the Oman channel. Especially since Oman was also instrumental in facilitating indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in February 2026, which achieved significant progress.
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China's Role in the Negotiations
China, as the only Gulf country that still maintains an open communication channel with all parties, plays a very active role in this meeting. Additionally, China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, and Oman's Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, discussed Oman's mediation proposal and China's guarantees during this meeting. Ali Baqeri-Kani, Deputy Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was also present in these discussions, indicating Iran's serious attention to these negotiations.
Subsequently, the discussions between China and Oman led to an agreement in which the two countries encouraged the U.S. and Iran to adopt peaceful solutions and emphasized the necessity of resuming safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Development of Bilateral Cooperation
During this meeting, Oman's Sultan, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, emphasized his country's deep relations with China and referred to the increase in direct investment from Chinese companies in Oman. This investment, which has exceeded 33 billion yuan in recent years, is seen as a unique transformation in the economic relations between the two countries. Furthermore, both sides agreed to expand their cooperation in the fields of technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and food security.
This visit, which is the first official visit of an Omani king to China since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1978, began on Sunday and is considered a milestone in the relations between the two countries. Xi Jinping, the President of China, described these cooperations as a strategic choice and emphasized the need for joint efforts to restore peace and stability to the region. He also reiterated his country's support for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means.
China's Diplomatic Mission to West Asia
In light of these developments, China has announced that it will send its special envoy, Zhai Jun, to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. This visit is part of peace efforts and regional dialogue and coincides with parallel travels of the special envoy for African affairs to various countries. These actions reflect China's active diplomacy in reducing tensions in the West Asia and Africa regions.
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