China wants Gulf ceasefire to hold: UN envoy

UNITED NATIONS, July 11– Sun Lei, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said Friday that a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities must hold in the Gulf.

Whether the Iran nuclear issue can be properly resolved bears directly on the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East and concerns the common interests of the international community. The parties concerned should advance the negotiations in a rational and pragmatic manner, he said.

Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran, tensions in the Middle East briefly eased. However, the ceasefire is now fraught with setbacks and challenges, complicating the prospects for negotiations, he told a Security Council meeting on the Iran nuclear issue.