China Voices Concern Over Middle East Crisis
"The US and Israel carried out military strikes against Iran without authorization from the UN Security Council, which violates the international law," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.
Mao expressed alarm over the widening arc of the conflict, warning that neighboring nations were increasingly at risk of being drawn into the escalating confrontation.
"China is deeply concerned about the spillover of the conflict affecting neighboring countries. China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Gulf countries should also be fully respected," said Mao.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Saturday's U.S.-Israeli strikes — a development that sent shockwaves through regional and global diplomatic circles alike.
Beijing issued a direct plea for restraint directed at all parties involved in the rapidly deteriorating standoff.
"We urge all parties to cease military actions and prevent further escalation of the conflict," Mao said, according to Beijing-based media.
When pressed on whether Washington had forewarned Beijing ahead of the joint offensive, the spokeswoman was unequivocal.
On whether Beijing was notified by Washington before it launched joint strikes on Iran, Mao said: "China was not notified in advance regarding the US military action."
Mao additionally pushed back against circulating reports suggesting that China and Iran were on the verge of finalizing a weapons deal involving advanced missile technology, calling the claims categorically false.
"The relevant reports are not true. As a responsible major country, China has always fulfilled its international obligations," said Mao, adding China "opposes malicious association and hype, and hopes relevant parties will do more to help ease tensions."
Amid the chaos engulfing Iran, Chinese authorities confirmed that evacuation operations were well underway for nationals caught in the conflict zone.
Due to the ongoing conflict, the official said more than 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran — a figure that reflects the scale and urgency of Beijing's consular response as the crisis deepens.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
