China pushes for immediate ceasefire in Mideast
China reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and a return to the negotiation table as the United States-Israel war against Iran intensified on Tuesday, with a broad wave of strikes pummeling infrastructure sites in Tehran, Kharg Island and other parts of Iran ahead of a US deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing a news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China hopes that all parties can "demonstrate sincerity and quickly end this war that should not have happened in the first place".
Mao noted that the root cause of the conflict is the launch of military attacks against Iran by the US and Israel in violation of international law. The use of force cannot bring peace, and political settlement is the right way forward, she said, adding that the "top priority is to immediately end military operations and return to dialogue and negotiations, in order to fundamentally resolve the issue and restore peace and stability in the Gulf region".
Mao said the situation in the Middle East is continuously worsening, with hostilities escalating and weighing on the global economy and energy security, which have caused deep concerns in the international community.
Since the conflict started, China has maintained "an objective, just and balanced position" and worked consistently to promote a ceasefire and bring an end to the fighting, she said.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held 26 phone calls with parties including Iran, Israel, Russia and Gulf countries, while the Chinese government's special envoy on the Middle East issue has engaged in shuttle diplomacy in the region, she said.
Mao added that China and Pakistan recently put forward a five-point initiative, which embodies the international consensus for a ceasefire and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, said in a social media post on Tuesday that Islamabad's "positive and productive endeavors in goodwill and good office to stop the war was approaching a critical, sensitive stage".
The United Nations has said it is alarmed by the US' threat to target Iran's energy and civilian infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels by Tuesday. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said at a news briefing on Monday that the UN "has been very clear on issues regarding international law", as he urged all parties "to abide by their obligations regarding the conduct of these hostilities".
On Monday, Tehran rejected a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire, drafted by Middle East negotiators including Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye, saying that it wants a permanent end to attacks against Iran and financial reparation for the damages the country has suffered until now.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a permanent peace deal should also allow Iran to demand fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which would vary depending on the type of vessel, its cargo and prevailing conditions.
US President Donald Trump once again ?exhorted Iran to make a deal by his ?Tuesday deadline, saying on social media that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back ?again" if an agreement is ?not reached.
Amid the looming threat, global stocks wavered on Tuesday, while oil prices edged above $110 per barrel.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on social media that "more than 14 million Iranian people have declared their readiness to sacrifice their lives" to defend their country. "I too have been, am, and will remain ready to give my life for Iran," he added.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, US-Israeli strikes hit 17 civilian areas across Iran on Tuesday, in addition to military targets. There is no justification for attacking civilians, it said, reiterating that international law states that attacking defenseless civilians is a war crime.
Meanwhile, Gulf countries spent another day repelling attacks in their respective territories. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting at least 18 drones, while authorities in the United Arab Emirates said a telecommunications building was struck by an Iranian ballistic missile, injuring two people, both Pakistani nationals.
Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com
























