China and Pakistan announced on Tuesday a five-point initiative aimed at ending the US-Israel war with Iran and restoring stability in the Middle East.

The initiative came during an official visit to China Tuesday by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as the two countries push for talks between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the war, also involving Israel, which has been raging for over a month.

Details: According to a copy of the five-point initiative, published by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, the two sides called for:

• an immediate cessation of hostilities in the region and ongoing efforts to stop the conflict from spreading further, while allowing access to humanitarian aid in all war-affected areas.
• the start of peace talks as soon as possible, while ensuring the protection of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states. The statement also stressed that “dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable options to resolve conflicts.”
• the protection of civilians and non-military targets, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.
• the security of shipping lanes. The initiative called on concerned parties to ensure the safety of ships in the Strait of Hormuz and restore normal passage through the key waterway.
• efforts to practice true multilateralism and jointly strengthen the primacy of the United Nations, and to conclude an agreement that paves the way for a comprehensive peace framework and lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, landed in Beijing earlier on Tuesday and met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East.