China and Pakistan have renewed calls for diplomacy and restraint as the conflict between the United States and Iran continues to escalate, urging all parties to preserve the fragile momentum towards peace. During high-level talks in Shanghai, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani officials stressed the importance of honouring the existing ceasefire memorandum of understanding and resuming dialogue between Washington and Tehran. Calling the agreement a "hard-won" diplomatic breakthrough, Wang Yi warned against allowing renewed military action to derail the progress already achieved. In a strong appeal for restraint, Wang Yi said, "Peace is before our eyes. We cannot fall at the last hurdle," urging all sides to avoid actions that could trigger a wider regional conflict.

The humanitarian toll of the escalating US-Iran conflict has come into sharp focus after Iranian authorities said a US strike damaged the child cancer treatment unit at Shahid Baghaei Hospital in Ahvaz, forcing the evacuation of young patients receiving chemotherapy. According to officials in Tehran, the strike impacted part of the hospital complex, prompting emergency medical teams to move children undergoing cancer treatment to safer facilities. The reported incident has intensified international concern over the impact of the conflict on civilian infrastructure and healthcare services. Iranian authorities also reported that fresh US strikes killed at least seven military personnel and left hundreds injured across multiple locations. Air defence systems were activated in several areas as the country responded to the latest wave of attacks. WATCH