Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday.
The visit — and its timing — underscore what analysts say are China’s significant stakes in the US-Iran war.
The visit comes a week before Trump is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14 and 15.
With the US feeling an economic downturn, including rising domestic fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections, analysts say the shared interest creates space for Beijing to play a crucial diplomatic role.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Wang again condemned US and Israeli military actions against Iran as “illegitimate".
China has also criticized the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a dangerous escalation that risked returning international politics to “the law of the jungle”.
Alongside Russia, Beijing has vetoed efforts at the United Nations Security Council to condemn Iran.
