China calls for international efforts to calm Israel-Iran tensions

China's envoy to the United Nations on Friday called for "an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting", urging international efforts to promote dialogue and ease tensions between Israel and Iran.

Israel's actions "violate international law and the norms of international relations, jeopardize the sovereignty and security of Iran, and undermine regional peace and stability. China unequivocally condemns this," said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, at a Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East.

"There must be an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting," Fu emphasized.

"The use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes. It will only exacerbate hatred and conflict. The sooner a ceasefire is put in place, the less damage will be done," he said, adding that the situation in the region "cannot be allowed to slide into an unknown abyss."

Fu called on all parties to the conflict—Israel in particular—to "cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating and to avoid any spillover of the fighting."

On June 13, Israeli airstrikes in Iran killed several senior military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on multiple sites across Israel, resulting in casualties and widespread destruction.

"The safety of civilians must be ensured. The red line of protecting civilians in armed conflicts must not be crossed at any time, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable," Fu said.

He stressed that the parties to the conflict must strictly abide by international law, resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians, refrain from attacking civilian facilities, and facilitate the evacuation of third-country nationals.

More than 3,000 people in Iran have been injured since the start of Israeli strikes, the country's Health Ministry said on Friday. A fresh wave of Iranian missile attacks hit northern Israel the same day, wounding 21 and causing significant damage in Haifa, according to Israel's emergency service.

"We must stay committed to dialogue and negotiation. The current conflict has interrupted the negotiation process on the Iranian nuclear issue. The attacks on multiple Iranian nuclear facilities set a dangerous precedent and could have catastrophic consequences," said Fu.

"We must not waver in the general direction of a political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, and we must persist in returning the issue to the track of a political solution through dialogue and negotiation," he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is set to meet with his British, French, and German counterparts in Geneva on Friday at their request, Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency reported on Thursday.

"China welcomes the talks," said Fu. "We must bring together the efforts of the international community to promote peace."

"Without stability in the Middle East, peace in the world will remain elusive," he said, adding that the Israel-Iran conflict has triggered a sudden escalation of tensions in the region and has had a serious impact on global security.

Recently, the foreign ministers of 21 Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement calling for a ceasefire, a resumption of talks on the Iranian nuclear issue, and efforts to maintain lasting peace in the region. China fully supports the statement, Fu said.

"The international community, especially major countries with special influence on the parties to the conflict, should make efforts to cool down the situation, rather than the opposite," he said.

"The Security Council, as the primary body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, should play a greater role in this regard. We support the Council in taking necessary actions in a timely fashion," he said.

China stands ready to continue strengthening communication and coordination with all relevant parties, build synergies, uphold justice, and play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, the ambassador added.