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China's permanent representative to the UN said "China has consistently maintained that all parties should observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations".
China condemns killing of Iran's Khamenei by US and Israel.
Alireza Arafi was appointed to Iran's Leadership Council, a body that will manage the role of the supreme leader until a new one is elected.
BEIRUT -- Israeli warplanes launched a new wave of airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs late Thursday, hours after Israel warned all residents to evacuate the entire Dahieh area, local broadcaster al-Jadeed reported.
Earlier, the Israeli military issued an urgent warning, ordering residents across Beirut's southern suburbs to leave immediately. It marked the first time Israel has called for a full evacuation of the area.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Health Ministry said the death toll from Israeli attacks since Monday has risen to 123, with 683 wounded as of Thursday night.
Amid the escalating tensions, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, briefing him on the latest security developments in Lebanon and urging him to intervene with Israel to prevent any strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, following recent evacuation threats.
Separately, Macron also spoke with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, during which the French president expressed readiness to conduct necessary contacts and send urgent assistance to Lebanon, according to the National News Agency.
The escalation comes after Hezbollah on Monday fired missiles and drones toward Israel, saying the attacks were in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and for repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Israel responded with massive airstrikes on Hezbollah targets and deployed ground forces into southern Lebanon.
TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that his country is not requesting a ceasefire with the United States and Israel, and does not see any reason to negotiate with Washington.
He made the remarks in an interview with US broadcaster NBC News aired on Thursday.
"We are not asking for a ceasefire, and we don't see any reason why we should negotiate with the United States when we negotiated with them twice, and every time, they attacked us in the middle of the negotiations," Araghchi said.
Regarding the possibility of a ground invasion by the United States against Iran, Araghchi said, "We are waiting for them because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them."
He added that Iran was fully ready for the ongoing conflict and is prepared for any other eventuality, even a ground invasion, emphasizing that the country's armed forces are ready for any scenario.
Meanwhile, Iran said Thursday that the Navy of its Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with drones 340 km off the country's territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman.
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters told state-run IRIB TV that after being hit with the Iranian drones, the aircraft carrier, along with its destroyers, quickly fled and is currently over 1,000 km away from the region.
The developments follow joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities starting Saturday morning, leading to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, some of his family members, top military commanders, and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US assets in the region.
JERUSALEM -- Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said in a televised address Thursday that Israeli forces are moving to the "next phase" of their campaign against Iran, in which they will intensify strikes against the Iranian government's foundations and its military capabilities.
TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was targeted by drones of its navy, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
ABU DHABI -- Blasts were heard in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Thursday evening as residents received mobile phone alerts warning of potential missile threats.
Similar alerts were issued across other emirates, including Dubai and Fujairah, by the UAE Ministry of Interior, urging residents and visitors to seek immediate shelter in the nearest secure building and to stay away from windows, doors, and open areas.
The UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said in a post on social media platform X that a missile threat was being neutralized.
LONDON -- Britain is sending four more Typhoon fighter jets to join its squadron in Qatar to strengthen defensive operations in the country and across the Middle East region, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a press conference on Thursday.
Starmer said Britain's Wildcat helicopters equipped with anti-drone capabilities are set to arrive in Cyprus on Friday. The country's defense secretary is currently in Cyprus to coordinate operations, and the HMS Dragon warship is being deployed to the Mediterranean.
Britain had already deployed additional military capabilities to the Middle East well before the military strikes against Iran launched by the United States and Israel, Starmer said.
According to the prime minister, Britain moved defensive assets, including fighter jets, air defense missiles, advanced radar and counter-drone systems, to Cyprus and Qatar throughout January and February.
He added that the British government is working with airlines, travel companies and foreign governments to bring back British nationals.
More than 4,000 people have returned to the United Kingdom on commercial flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with seven additional flights scheduled to depart the UAE for Britain on Thursday. Meanwhile, the first charter flight from Oman departed early Thursday afternoon, and more charter flights are expected in the coming days, according to Starmer.
Joint military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel have drawn criticism over their legality while fueling concerns about energy supplies and economic stability, including the potential implications for Australia.
"The joint attacks by the United States and Israel are in violation of international law," Robert Barwick, national chairman of the Australian Citizens Party, told China Daily in an exclusive interview.
Barwick said the Israeli and US governments had reached "a new depth of lawlessness", and that they are not seriously attempting to justify the attacks but merely going through the motions.
He said that all statements made by the two countries in defense of the strikes were weak, including claims that the Iranian government had killed tens of thousands of protesters or that Iran had been close to developing a nuclear bomb.
Barwick said attacking Iran while "pretending to negotiate with them" had "destroyed all trust in the US".
The escalating tensions have also heightened concerns about the potential economic fallout.
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock said the central bank was "very alert" to the potential implications for inflation expectations arising from the situation.
"These events are a timely reminder that in this world of geopolitical uncertainty, things can change quickly," she said at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit on Tuesday.
Bullock said it would take some time to make sense of what it could mean for inflation in Australia, noting that a supply shock could, for example, add to inflationary pressures in the near term. She said a prolonged impact on energy markets could have adverse effects on global economic activity and subsequently exert downward pressure on inflation.
Barwick from the Australian Citizens Party said the military strikes on Iran would have negative implications for energy supplies and prices in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
"The most immediate impact of the illegal attack on Iran is on global energy supplies and prices," Barwick said.
He said that the biggest economies in the Asia-Pacific rely on oil that comes through the Persian Gulf, so soaring energy prices will slow economic growth.
"Australia is especially vulnerable, as it only has slightly more than one month of oil reserves," he added.
Australia's Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the nation currently has energy reserves of "36 days' worth of petrol, 34 days' worth of diesel, and 32 days' worth of jet fuel".
Major impact
"Now, there will be challenges and difficulties, and of course, the major impact on Australia's petrol prices will always be international oil prices, which will be under real pressure," he said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Bowen urged the public not to resort to panic buying and called on fuel companies not to engage in price gouging, which means overcharging customers by sharply increasing prices.
Meanwhile, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, where the Australian military operates a regional headquarters, had been struck by Iranian missiles. The air base is about a half-hour drive from Dubai.
"We've got more than 100 personnel, actually, across the Middle East. Most of them are in the UAE where we've had an operational headquarters at Al Minhad for many, many years now," Marles told the media on Tuesday.
According to the Australian government, there are currently around 115,000 Australians in the Middle East.
xinxin@chinadaily.com.cn
The United States and Israel launched fresh airstrikes against Iranian targets on Wednesday, while Tehran retaliated across the Gulf by targeting US diplomatic missions. As the conflict enters the sixth day, it has severely disrupted regional energy supplies and global travel.
The US military said it had struck nearly 2,000 targets since launching joint strikes with Israel on Saturday, which killed Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. The conflict, which the US administration suggested could last several weeks, has left at least 1,045 Iranians dead.
"The supreme leader will be identified at the earliest opportunity, we are close to a conclusion," Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts that will select the new leader, told state TV. He said the candidates had already been identified but did not name them.
The Israeli military said it had carried out strikes on Iranian ballistic missile production and storage facilities. It also claimed to have destroyed what it described as Iran's secret underground nuclear command center.
However, Iran said it had halted uranium enrichment in June, while reaffirming its right to such activities and stressing its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes only.
A US submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.
In Dubai, a drone attack sparked a fire near the US Consulate on Tuesday night, as Iran stepped up attacks on US diplomatic facilities across the Gulf. The strike followed similar drone attacks on US embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Witnesses in Dubai told China Daily that they heard a loud blast and saw flames, which were quickly extinguished. Police immediately cordoned off the surrounding roads. The Dubai Media Office confirmed there were no casualties.
"All of a sudden, there was a huge bang," said a man who was hundreds of meters away from the site at the time of the attack. "Everyone nearby panicked and ducked for cover."
The Gulf region has been targeted by Iranian aerial attacks since Saturday, with airports and energy facilities among the key targets.
Despite enduring more than 1,000 attacks — a figure higher than all other targeted nations combined, according to its Foreign Ministry — the United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it had no intention of retaliating against Iran.
Governments raced to evacuate their citizens stranded in the Middle East. The US said on Tuesday it was arranging military and charter flights for citizens wishing to leave the region, despite severe disruptions to air travel. Other nations, including France, have also organized evacuation flights for their nationals.
The US and Israel have received lukewarm support, with Western nations limiting their involvement in helping Gulf states and repatriating citizens.
Meanwhile, the first flight to China since the Dubai Airport resumed operation arrived in Guangzhou on Wednesday evening.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday it had taken control of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that vessels attempting to pass through face the risk of being hit. Washington said earlier the US Navy was prepared to escort oil tankers through the strategic waterway.
Experts warned that further escalation could lead to prolonged instability across the region and that the trajectory of the conflict hinges on whether major powers exercise restraint, though the risk of miscalculation remains high.
"For the UAE and the wider region, security risks will rise, particularly from missile attacks, cyberattacks and maritime security threats," said Rabi Mohamed, a political analyst in the UAE.
"Civil aviation and trade could face major disruptions due to airspace closures and shipping disruptions. The regional economy as a whole will face growing uncertainty," Mohamed said.
As Saudi Arabia closed its largest domestic oil refinery on Monday and Qatar suspended liquefied natural gas production linked to the North Field reservoir, he said international oil prices would surge sharply, possibly to very high levels in the short term.
"The energy markets would react immediately with volatility and speculative pressure. This energy shock would create ripple effects across global supply chains, raising transportation and production costs," he said.
cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn
Days into the US and Israel's joint military strike on Iran, leaders from several major European nations have expressed their disagreements, if not objections, to the unilateral move.
"A logic of violence, as we are seeing, only leads to a spiral of violence, and unilateral military actions outside the United Nations Charter, outside any collective action, have no clear objective. Europe must defend international law, de-escalation, and negotiation," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno said on Monday, as his government refused to allow its military bases, which are operated jointly with the US but under Spanish sovereignty, to be used for attacks on Iran.
Spain is a US ally that openly condemned the latter's strikes against Iran, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday called it "unilateral military action", as well as an "unjustified" and "dangerous military intervention" outside the bounds of international law.
On Monday, flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed that 15 US aircraft had already left the Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain since the attacks were launched. They were relocated to other bases.
US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a full US trade embargo on Spain on Tuesday in response to the refusal.
"Spain has been terrible," Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain."
Sanchez on Wednesday doubled down on his opposition to the attack on Iran by the US and Israel, warning that the conflict risked triggering a major global disaster.
"We're not going to be complicit in something that's bad for the world, nor contrary to our values and interests simply to avoid reprisals from someone," Sanchez said in a televised address to the nation.
Sanchez said governments existed to improve people's lives and lashed out at leaders who "use the fog of war to hide their failure" at home.
The European Commission also defended its interests, by saying on Wednesday it was "ready" to defend EU interests after Trump threatened to sever trade with Spain.
"We stand in full solidarity with all member states and all their citizens and, through our common trade policy, stand ready to act if necessary to safeguard EU interests," said commission spokesman Olof Gill in a statement issued in response to the threats.
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a television address to the nation on Tuesday,"The United States of America and Israel decided to launch military operations. They were carried out outside the framework of international law, which we cannot approve."
He reiterated his call for an end to airstrikes and the resumption of diplomatic negotiations aimed at achieving long-term stability.
He also released clips of the address via X, where he also wrote, "We stand with our friends and allies in the region to ensure their security and territorial integrity. This is our responsibility."
Macron also confirmed that the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which was in Sweden for military exercises, is being dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has ruled out British participation in offensive military action, insisting UK forces will not be drawn into what he described as "unlawful action".
'Deliberate' decision
In a Parliament session on Monday, Starmer said the government made a "deliberate" decision not to be involved in the initial strikes on Iran by the US and Israel, as "the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement".
"I will not commit our military personnel to unlawful action," Starmer told lawmakers. "President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest," he said, adding that the use of British bases is limited to defensive purposes.
Trump criticized Starmer for blocking the US air force from using Diego Garcia, the military base in the British territory of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, which has been leased to the US since the 1960s, for the initial military strikes.
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military said on Wednesday night it launched another wave of airstrikes in Tehran, targeting Iranian military sites.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that for the 11th wave of strikes and the second time on Wednesday, the IDF attacked Iran's military infrastructure throughout Tehran.
Earlier in the day, the IDF said it carried out large-scale airstrikes in eastern Tehran, targeting facilities used as headquarters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite Quds Force, the Intelligence Directorate, the Basij volunteer force affiliated with the IRGC, internal security units, and the cyber warfare.
Also on Wednesday, the IDF said it is continuing to "deepen" its attacks across Iran, revealing that it had dropped more than 5,000 munitions on the country since the joint US-Israeli operation began on Saturday.
The joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran, entering its fifth day, has triggered a sharp escalation across the Middle East, setting off waves of missile exchanges, mounting casualties, and far-reaching political, security, and economic repercussions.
Iran said 1,045 people have been killed in the country since Saturday as a result of the US-Israeli operation.
MADRID -- Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday denied claims by the White House that Spain had agreed to "cooperate" with the US military, calling the statement "categorically false," according to Spanish newspaper El Confidencial.
"The spokeswoman may speak for the White House, but I am the foreign minister of Spain," Albares said when asked about remarks made earlier by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. "I categorically deny it."
The Spanish prime minister's office, the Moncloa Palace, also rejected the claim that Spain had agreed to "cooperate militarily," describing the White House statement as "false," the report said.
On March 3, US President Donald Trump, during a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House, criticized Spain for refusing to raise its defense spending to the NATO target of 5 percent of GDP and for declining to allow the United States to use Spanish bases in its military strikes against Iran.
Trump described Spain's stance as "unfriendly" and threatened to cut off all trade ties with the country.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday reiterated Spain's opposition to the military actions launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, calling for an end to the escalation and saying Spain would not change its anti-war position out of fear of retaliation.
TEHRAN -- Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said Wednesday the United States will have to pay a "heavy price" for killing the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Writing on social media platform X, Larijani said US President Donald Trump dragged the American people into an "unjust" war with Iran.
He added, "Now he must calculate: with over 500 American soldiers killed in just the past few days, does America still come first — or Israel?"
Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, as well as several senior Iranian military commanders, was killed on Saturday during the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran responded through waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US assets across the Middle East.
BAGHDAD -- A complete power outage occurred across all Iraqi governorates, Iraq's Ministry of Electricity said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military said it carried out large-scale airstrikes in eastern Tehran on Wednesday, targeting a sprawling military compound that houses multiple command centers for Iran's security and intelligence organizations.
In a statement, the military said the operation was directed at facilities used as headquarters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite Quds Force, the Intelligence Directorate, the Basij volunteer force affiliated with the IRGC, internal security units, and the cyber warfare.
Iranian personnel responsible for operating the facility were also targeted, it said.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli military said it is "continuing to deepen" its attacks across Iran, revealing that it had dropped more than 5,000 munitions on the country since the joint US-Israeli operation began on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Iran said 1,045 people have been killed in the country since Saturday as a result of the US-Israeli operation.
The joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran, entering its fifth day, has triggered a sharp escalation across the Middle East, setting off waves of missile exchanges, mounting casualties, and far-reaching political, security, and economic repercussions.
In the latest diplomatic efforts to promote peace, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held separate phone conversations on Wednesday with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, saying that China would send its special envoy on the Middle East issue to the region to conduct mediation.
During talks with his Saudi counterpart, Wang said that no matter the reason, indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable and any attacks targeting innocent civilians or nonmilitary facilities should be condemned.
In his call with the UAE minister, Wang said the spillover of war serves the interests of no party, adding that China supports regional countries in their continued efforts to resolve disputes through diplomatic means.
WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that a US submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters.
"An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters," Hegseth said at the Pentagon briefing on Wednesday. "Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo."
He further said it was the first sinking of an enemy vessel by a torpedo since World War II.
At least 80 people on board the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena were killed after the vessel was attacked and sunk by the US submarine in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra said Wednesday.
The Iranian warship had taken part in a naval exercise held in the Bay of Bengal from Feb 18 to 25, according to the drill's website.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday that US forces have struck or sunk more than 20 Iranian vessels since the United States and Israel began a military operation against Iran on Saturday morning.
"Last night, CENTCOM added a Soleimani-class warship to the list," the command said on X.
BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates.
BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
TEHRAN -- Iran has decided on possible candidates for the post of supreme leader of the country, Seyed Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts responsible for electing Iran's supreme leader, was quoted by the semi-official Mehr news agency as saying on Wednesday.
The Foreign Ministry urged Chinese citizens on Wednesday to "temporarily avoid traveling to countries and regions surrounding Iran that have been impacted by military actions".
"Chinese citizens already in these countries and regions are advised to further enhance their personal safety precautions, avoid visiting sensitive locations such as military facilities, demonstrations, and gatherings," ministry's spokeswoman Mao Ning said at the daily news briefing.
When asked about the government's efforts to protect citizens in Iran and neighboring countries, Mao said that since the tension in Iran's security situation escalated, China has made multiple representations to relevant parties, urging them to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Iran and neighboring countries.
She noted that due to the military actions, airspace over some neighboring countries has been closed and international flights have been suspended, affecting the travel of Chinese citizens.
"In case of emergencies, please promptly contact local police and reach out to the Chinese embassy or consulate for assistance," she said.
zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn
