ISTANBUL

China on Monday reiterated its call for the US and Iran to begin peace talks “as soon as possible,” while praising Pakistan’s mediation efforts amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

“China calls on relevant parties to start peace talks as soon as possible,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters, adding that Beijing supports all efforts conducive to de-escalation and the resumption of dialogue.

"We commend Pakistan for its efforts for deescalating the tensions," she said in response to a question by Anadolu.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday said Islamabad would be “honored” to host talks between the US and Iran as part of broader mediation efforts. The South Asian country also hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers’ meeting as part of its mediation efforts.

"We support it to continue as a mediator and stand ready to work with Pakistan and other parties to strengthen communication and coordination to translate work to end hostility to safeguarding peace and stability," Mao said.

She reiterated opposition to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, saying military means will not solve conflict.

"Military means will not solve the root cause. The conflict serves no one's interests," said Mao.

Regional escalations have continued to rage since Israel and the US launched an offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,400 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.