China and Russia condemn US action over Iran, call for immediate halt and return to talks
China’s Wang Yi and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed a shared stance during a phone call, criticising US and Israeli strikes on Iran as violations of international law. China set out three priorities—stop military operations, resume talks, and oppose unilateral attacks—after an emergency UN Security Council meeting requested by China and Russia, Xinhua reported.
Xinhua reported that Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, held a phone call with Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister. Wang said that on Saturday (February 28) the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation in Iran at the request of China and Russia.
Wang said China upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including opposition to the use of force in international relations. He said it was unacceptable for the United States and Israel to strike Iran during Iran-US negotiations, and that the “blatant killing of a sovereign leader” and open incitement of regime change were unacceptable. He said such actions violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations.
He warned that violence in the Middle East had spread across the Persian Gulf and could slide into a highly dangerous phase, saying China is deeply concerned. China’s position on the Iran situation, he said, is as follows:
- An immediate end to military operations to prevent the war from expanding and spiralling beyond control. China attaches great importance to the security of Gulf countries and supports restraint.
- A prompt return to dialogue and negotiations, with all sides promoting peace and preventing war, and the parties concerned returning to talks as soon as possible.
- Joint opposition to unilateral actions, arguing that attacks on a sovereign country without UN Security Council authorisation undermine the foundations of post-World War II peace, and that the international community should send a clear message opposing a slide back into a ruleless world.
Lavrov, Xinhua reported, said the US and Israeli strikes on Iran had severely undermined stability in the Middle East. He said Russia shares China’s position and is ready to strengthen co-ordination and communication with China to send a clear signal through platforms such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), calling for an immediate end to the war and a return to diplomatic talks.
