Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart during a phone call on Monday that Beijing supports Tehran in defending itself against American-Israeli attacks, as the war clashes rapidly spread across the Middle East.
In a conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Wang emphasized that Beijing "cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Iran, and supports Iran in defending its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity." He also stressed support for protecting Iran’s legitimate rights and interests, China’s state television China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
According to Wang, China has called on the United States and Israel to "immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent the conflict from spreading to the entire Middle East region."
In a separate phone call with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, Wang went a step further, accusing the United States and Israel of violating the purpose and principles of the United Nations Charter by "deliberately inciting war against Iran."
"China is ready to play a constructive role, including upholding justice, striving for peace, and stopping the war through the platform of the UN Security Council," Wang told his Omani counterpart.
During talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, the Chinese minister warned that the world is facing a "return to the law of the jungle."
"Major powers must not arbitrarily attack other countries relying solely on their military superiority. The Iranian nuclear issue must finally return to the track of political and diplomatic resolution," Wang said, CCTV reported.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that four members of the U.S. military have so far been killed in the fighting. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that a war with Iran could last several weeks.
