China, Russia among nations urging Iran ceasefire
Iran says several countries including China, Russia and France have contacted Tehran over a ceasefire, with Iran demanding an end to further aggression
Several countries, including China and Russia, have contacted Iran to discuss the possibility of a ceasefire, according to a senior Iranian official.
Al Jazeera reported that Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said a number of nations such as China, Russia and France had reached out to Tehran regarding a halt to hostilities.
He said Iran had set a key condition for any ceasefire, insisting that there must be no further acts of aggression against the country.
Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, told Al Jazeera that the Iranian government appeared intent on inflicting as much damage as possible on its adversaries.
From Tehran’s perspective, he said, the conflict may need to last as long as possible.
“Ending the war would only allow the Americans and Israelis to take advantage and conclude that Iran is weak, which could encourage them to become even more aggressive,” Harrison said.
