China has expressed its firm opposition to and strong condemnation of the brazen US and Israeli aggression against Iran and the murder of the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
In an immediate reaction, following the start of the aggression on February 28, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China is highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the US and Israel, adding that Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected.
The same day, the United Nations Security Council met in emergency session in New York.
Ambassador Fu Cong said: “Today, the United States and Israel brazenly launched military strikes against targets inside Iran, causing a sudden escalation of regional tensions. China is deeply concerned about this development. China consistently advocates that all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations. China stresses that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and other regional countries must be respected.”
Speaking on a day when a US-Israeli air strike in the south of Iran hit a primary school, killing at least 148 people, the majority of them schoolgirls, and injuring at least 95 others, Fu added:
“China is deeply saddened by the large number of civilian casualties caused by the conflict. At all times, the red line for protecting civilians in armed conflict must not be crossed, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable.”
He also stated that: “China calls for an immediate cessation of military actions to prevent further cycles of escalation. The military strikes occurred at a time when the US and Iran were engaged in diplomatic negotiations, which is shocking. The parties concerned should demonstrate political sincerity, resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible, and return to the right track of a political solution.”
On March 1, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that, “China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader.”
The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security, said the spokesperson, adding that it tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations.
On the same day, Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the situation in a telephone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Wang said that it is unacceptable for the United States and Israel to launch strikes on Iran during the Iran-US negotiations, adding that it is also unacceptable for them to blatantly kill the leader of a sovereign state and incite government change. These actions violate international law and basic norms of international relations.
Wang summarised China’s position in three points:
- An immediate cessation of military operations.
- A prompt return to dialogue and negotiations.
- A joint opposition to unilateral actions. Striking sovereign countries without authorisation of the UN Security Council undermines the foundation of peace established after World War II. The international community should send a clear message against any regression to the law of the jungle.
Sergei Lavrov said that Russia shares the same position with China and stands ready to strengthen coordination and communication with the Chinese side to send a clear signal through platforms such as the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, calling for an immediate cessation of the war and a return to diplomatic negotiations.
The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and on the website of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
