China urges ‘clear stand’ against actions undermining Iran ceasefire as US blocks Strait of Hormuz

China on Monday said that the international community should take a "clear stand" against actions undermining the current US-Iran ceasefire, even as a US blockade of the critical Strait of Hormuz began.

"The international community should continue to step up efforts to promote peace talks and take a clear stand against any actions that undermine the ceasefire or escalate confrontation," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in a phone call, according to the state-run Global Times.

Wang also said that the “top priority is to make every effort to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from reigniting and maintain the hard-won momentum of the ceasefire.”

Dar – on the heels of weekend talks in Pakistan between Iran and the US – reiterated Islamabad’s "steadfast commitment" to advancing dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred means of restoring peace in the region, stressing that they are "the only viable path forward," according to a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.

The remarks came as a US blockade on Iranian ports took effect at 1400GMT on Monday., according to a British maritime intelligence report.

Following joint diplomatic efforts with Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, Pakistan on April 8 secured a 14-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran after weeks of fighting triggered by US-Israel attacks on Feb. 28.

However, 16 hours of marathon negotiations between the US and Iran held in Pakistan over the weekend ended without a breakthrough.