China calls for Middle East dialogue in talks with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman

China stepped up diplomatic efforts on Monday to resolve the Middle East crisis, urging a return to the negotiating table in back-to-back meetings with Iranian, Omani and Saudi officials in Beijing. The meetings come days after United States President Donald Trump issued a fresh war threat more than eight months into the conflict , which was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran and has at times spilled over into neighbouring countries. Beijing supports Tehran in “safeguarding its own sovereignty and security”, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy secretary of Iran’s…