BEIJING: China’s foreign minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that Beijing supports Iran in achieving a ‘genuine ceasefire’, as Israel accused Tehran of violating a fragile truce.
“China supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, and, on that basis, achieving a genuine ceasefire so that people can return to normal life,” Wang told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in a phone call, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the country “refrained” from further strikes on Iran on Tuesday after a call with US President Donald Trump.
Israel had accused Tehran of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement by firing two missiles, with Defence Minister Israel Katz immediately promising “to respond forcefully”.
Trump says Iran-Israel ceasefire in force
But Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Tuesday to tell Israel “do not drop those bombs”, before he angrily accused the country and Iran of ceasefire violations.
Wang, in his call with Araghchi, said that China had immediately “voiced condemnation” after US strikes on key nuclear facilities in Iran on Saturday.
“Military strikes on nuclear facilities that are under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency seriously violate the purposes of the UN Charter and international law,” Wang added.
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