China has said it “welcomes” news that the United States and Iran signed a deal to end the Middle East war, urging both sides to continue their cooperation in a second round of negotiations, AFP reports.

“China welcomes this development and hopes that all relevant parties —including the US and Iran — will uphold the spirit of their agreement and earnestly honour their commitments,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference, urging Washington and Tehran to “meet each other halfway” in the next stage of talks.