IRAN ‘WILL SHOW RESTRAINT’ AFTER HITTING ISRAEL
Tehran will not escalate situation further in wake of drone and missile strikes in response to attack on its embassy, foreign minister tells Wang Yi
Iran is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of further escalating the situation with Israel following drone and missile attacks on Saturday, its foreign minister has told his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian delivered the message to Wang in a talk on the phone on Monday, according to a readout from Beijing’s foreign ministry.
“The current situation in the region is very sensitive, and the Iranian side is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of further escalating the situation,” Amir-Abdollahian said, according to the readout.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran advocates an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and supports China’s positive efforts to promote a ceasefire, restore peace in the region and strengthen cooperation among regional countries.”
Following the air strikes by Iran, it is not clear if Israel will follow through on its initial plan to invade the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip to crush Hamas.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for an attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1 but both Iran and Syria have accused it of being responsible.
During the talk with Amir-Abdollahian, Wang repeated China strongly condemned that attack and said it was a serious violation of international law and was unacceptable, according to the foreign ministry’s account.
Noting Iran’s claims that its attack was limited and an act of self-defence, Wang said China appreciated Tehran’s emphasis on “not targeting regional and neighbouring countries, as well as its reiteration of continuously pursuing a good-neighbourly and friendly policy”.
“It is believed that Iran can handle the situation well and spare the region further turmoil while safeguarding its sovereignty and dignity,” Wang said, according to the foreign ministry.
Wang also later called his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and pledged that China would work with Saudi Arabia to avoid “further escalation of confrontation” in the Middle East.
He reiterated China’s support for the Palestinians, saying the key solution to the Gaza conflict was to “establish an independent Palestinian state and restore the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people”.
“The international community should take more active action to support Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, promote the convening of a larger, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference, and form a timetable and road map for the implementation of the two-state solution,” Wang was quoted as saying.
Faisal said Saudi Arabia “fully trusts” China, adding that the two countries were highly consistent in their position on the situation.
“[The] Saudi side is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to promote an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, start the implementation of the two-state solution, and help achieve stability in the Middle East at an early date,” Faisal said.
Wang’s phone discussions on Monday were China’s first ministerial engagement with Iran and Saudi Arabia since Tehran conducted the series of air attacks on Israel that it said was retaliation for the April 1 attack on the embassy in Syria.
On Monday, China’s special envoy on Middle East affairs Zhai Jun met Irit Ben-Abba, the Israeli ambassador.
Zhai told Ben-Abba that “all parties concerned should exercise maximum calm and restraint”, adding that China was deeply concerned about the current escalation of tension.
Meanwhile, Yuval Waks, the deputy chief of the Israeli mission in China, told a press briefing that Israel was not satisfied with Beijing’s response to Iran’s attack on Israel.
“We were hoping for stronger condemnation and clear acknowledgement of Israel’s right to defend itself … Unfortunately, we did not see that, which is why we were unhappy with the statement [from the Chinese foreign ministry],” Waks said.
He also urged Beijing to tell Hamas the hostages still being held after its October 7 attack “should be set free right now”.
China has sought to become a special player in the region, and helped broker a deal to restore diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year.
During a UN Security Council briefing about Iran’s assault on Sunday, Dai Bing, charge d’affaires for China’s permanent mission to the UN, also called for Iran and Israel to “exercise maximum calm and restraint”.
He did not condemn either party, but Dai said China noted Iran’s stance that its military action was in response to Israel’s aggression, adding that the matter “can be deemed concluded”.
Israeli Defence Forces chief of staff General Herzi Halevi said his country would respond to Tehran’s air assault.
It is believed that Iran can handle the situation well and spare the region further turmoil FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI