14/04/2026
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14/04/2026
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BEIJING, Apr 14: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called on China to take a stronger diplomatic role in helping end the ongoing war in Iran, saying Beijing could serve as a key global mediator in resolving multiple international conflicts.
Speaking after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Sánchez said he sees China as one of the few global actors capable of facilitating a resolution to the Iran conflict and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
“I find it very difficult to find other interlocutors, beyond China, who can resolve this situation created in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz,” Sánchez said.
The Spanish leader is on his fourth visit to China in just over three years, as Madrid continues efforts to strengthen political and economic ties with Beijing.
Sánchez also reiterated Spain’s call for accountability in global conflicts, describing the situation in Gaza as “genocide” and accusing Israel of violating international law. He further criticized Iran’s response to the conflict, calling it illegal.
France says Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire
In a separate development, France has urged that Lebanon be formally included in any ceasefire agreement linked to the wider regional conflict.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Lebanon must not be excluded from ceasefire arrangements, warning that the country should not become a “scapegoat” in regional tensions.
He strongly criticized ongoing Israeli strikes on Lebanon, calling them “intolerable” and arguing that they undermine existing ceasefire efforts.
Barrot said the strikes risk strengthening militant groups such as Hezbollah rather than weakening them.
“Destroying Lebanon, targeting the Lebanese state, does not weaken Hezbollah — quite the opposite, it strengthens it,” he said, according to French broadcaster RFI.
The comments reflect growing European concern over the widening regional impact of the Iran conflict and related Middle East tensions.
