China on Thursday offered to mediate between Pakistan and Iran following a gunfight against militant targets in the Pakistan-Iran border region, including an attack that Tehran said killed at least nine civilians.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference, "The Chinese side sincerely hopes that the two sides can exercise calm and restraint and avoid an escalation of tension."
"We are also willing to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation if both sides so wish," she said.
Nuclear-armed Pakistan and neighboring Iran are both battling a growing insurgency in their sparsely populated border region.
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On Thursday morning, Pakistan announced that it had carried out attacks against militant targets inside Iran.
The Iranian government said it had summoned Pakistan's chargé d'affaires in response to the attack, which killed at least nine non-Irani people.
Both countries are close partners of Beijing and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Mao reiterated that Iran and Pakistan are "China's friends and countries with great influence".
