China renews call on US, Iran to halt fighting, return to dialogue

Military conflict to only 'escalate the situation,' Chinese Foreign Ministry says

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Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Lin Jian. PHOTO: REUTERS

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China on Thursday renewed its call for the US and Iran to halt fighting and return to dialogue.

Beijing is "gravely" concerned about the situation, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.

Military conflict will only "escalate the situation," and resuming military action will not resolve any fundamental issues, he said.

"The sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of regional countries should be respected and safeguarded," Lin said, urging relevant parties to stop military actions, resume dialogue and negotiations, respond to the mediating efforts of relevant countries, and achieve a ceasefire at an early date.

Lin said that China has maintained contacts with relevant parties, including Iran, since the outbreak of the conflict and "has made efforts for promoting peace talks."

Over the past two weeks, the US and Iran have exchanged attacks intermittently as tensions escalated across the region.

Earlier today, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it struck 18 major US military targets in the Gulf in response to US missile attacks on a recreational site, an industrial complex and areas near Karaj and Nazarabad west of Tehran, along with a local Revolutionary Guard base in Pishva County.

China reiterates call on US, Iran to stop escalating tensions amid fresh air strikes

China on Wednesday reiterated its call on Washington and Tehran to stop escalating tensions after the US launched fresh attacks on Iran.

“China is deeply concerned” over the latest situation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that American forces launched air strikes against Iranian military targets in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter on Monday.

Read: Iran will 'not hesitate to exercise' right to self-defence: foreign ministry

Later, Iran’s military headquarters said early Wednesday that attacks had been launched on some US bases in the region in response to American strikes on southern Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US opted to test Tehran's determination.

However, Lin called on the warring sides to “remain calm, exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions, take concrete actions to ease tensions.”

Lin asked the US and Iran to use political and diplomatic means toward “early realisation of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire.”