China has strongly condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a serious violation of international law and the principles of the United Nations.
On Sunday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a sharp statement criticising the attack. The spokesperson urged an immediate halt to military operations and warned against further escalation.
Strong Words From Beijing
In a post on X, the MFA said, “The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security. It tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it. We urge for an immediate stop to the military operations, no further escalation of the tense situation and joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large.”
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi also raised the issue during a conversation with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday. According to state news agency Xinhua, Wang described the attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran during ongoing US-Iran negotiations as “unacceptable.”
Wang said the “blatant killing of a sovereign leader” and the incitement of regime change were unacceptable, after Iran reported the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.
Call for Ceasefire and Dialogue
He further stressed that China is calling for an immediate cessation of military action, a return to dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible, and joint opposition to unilateral actions.
The United States and Israel launched their attacks early on Saturday, targeting Iran’s military capability. China’s ministry had already expressed concern a day earlier, calling for an immediate ceasefire. It urged all sides to avoid escalation and resume dialogue and negotiations, adding that Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Evacuation Advisories Issued
Amid rising tensions, China also issued safety advisories for its citizens in the region. On Sunday, China’s embassy in Israel advised Chinese nationals to move to safer areas within the country or leave for Egypt through the Taba border crossing as soon as possible.
At the same time, China’s foreign ministry urged Chinese citizens in Iran to leave “as soon as possible,” listing four land exit routes through Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iraq.
In a separate commentary, Xinhua sharply criticised the strike, calling it “brazen aggression against a sovereign nation” and “power politics and hegemony.” The agency said Washington’s use of military coercion was a “flagrant violation” of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and a departure from “fundamental norms of international relations.”
Air Travel Disrupted
The conflict has also disrupted international travel. Hong Kong-based airline operator Cathay Group 1981.HK suspended operations in the Middle East on Saturday. The move affected passenger flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh, as well as freighter services through Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. Cathay, the parent company of Cathay Pacific Airways 0293.HK, said it is re-routing flights that usually pass through the affected airspace.
The escalating conflict has triggered widespread flight disruptions and cancellations across the region.
(With inputs from ANI)
