Beijing, China - China on Wednesday said it "welcomes" the ceasefire agreement reached between Iran, the US, and Israel Tuesday night, and encouraged a deal to permanently end hostilities.

"China welcomes the announcement of the ceasefire arrangement by relevant parties," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday during her daily press conference. "We support the mediation efforts by countries including Pakistan."

"We have all along been calling on parties to end hostilities as soon as possible and resolve disputes through political and diplomatic channels to achieve enduring peace and security in the Gulf and Middle East region," she said.

Mao noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had held 26 calls with counterparts from relevant countries around the world, in an attempt to increase pressure on the US and Israel.

Under a temporary ceasefire deal reached Tuesday night, Tehran has agreed to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil, gas, and fertilizer passes, easing concerns for the battered global economy.

The announcement came shortly before a deadline set by President Donald Trump, who had threatened to obliterate Iran if it did not negotiate.

China blamed the US and Israel, which had jointly launched an unprovoked bombing campaign against Iran in February, for triggering the war, and called on the UN Security Council to deescalate the situation.

"China maintains that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf States should be fully respected, and the safety and security of shipping lanes and energy infrastructure should also be safeguarded," Mao said.

"We hope parties can properly settle disputes through dialogue and negotiation," Mao said when asked about a potential security guarantee for Iran.

"China will maintain communication with all parties and continue to work for deescalation and put an end to the conflict."