China said it believes Iran is capable of “handling the situation well and sparing the region further unrest” while preserving its sovereignty and dignity, referring to the attack on Iran's embassy in Syria and its retaliatory strike at the weekend.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a phone call on Monday that China appreciates Iran's assurance that it will not target regional and neighboring countries, China's official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
Wang also said he noted that Iran described its actions as limited and carried them out in self-defense. Wang said China strongly condemns and strongly opposes the attack on the embassy, calling the incident “unacceptable.”
Regional tensions
After briefing Wang on Iran's position, Amir Abdollahian told Wang that Iran is aware of regional tensions, is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of further escalation.
Tensions are rising in the Middle East as the Israeli military vowed to respond to the Iranian attack, and several countries called for restraint. Since the missile attack on Saturday night, several countries have summoned Iranian ambassadors.
Wang also spoke with the Saudi Foreign Minister on the same day, making it clear that China is willing to work with Riyadh to avoid further escalation in the Middle East, Xinhua said.
Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that Saudi Arabia “strongly expects” China to play an active and important role in this regard, and that his country is ready to enhance communication and coordination with China to promote an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.
Since the start of the war in Gaza in October, clashes have erupted between Israel and groups allied with Iran in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
Faisal said Saudi Arabia “fully trusts” China and is willing to push for the sustainable development of bilateral cooperation, according to Xinhua News Agency.
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