ISLAMABAD, 17 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a telephone conversation with Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during his visit to Beijing, according to Iranian media reports. The two officials discussed the latest regional developments and matters of mutual interest. The phone call took place as Araghchi visited China, where he also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss regional security and efforts to reduce tensions. During his meeting with Wang, Araghchi said Tehran had initiated talks with neighboring countries as part of its efforts to restore peace and stability in the region, adding that his government was seeking to protect what it described as the legitimate rights of the Iranian people while pursuing peaceful relations and stronger ties with neighboring states. Meanwhile, China called on the United States and Iran to avoid further escalation and return to meaningful negotiations. Wang Yi said Beijing did not want tensions to intensify or spread to other areas, including Yemen and the Red Sea, and urged Washington and Tehran to engage in meaningful discussions on outstanding issues and work toward restoring a negotiating framework based on understandings reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Wang said the ongoing dispute between the United States and Iran was not in the interests of either side.