Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China spokes with his Iranian counterpart, acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri, on the phone Sunday. In the call, Wang condemned the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh while voicing support for Iran’s ability to defend itself. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
China on Sunday told Iran it condemns the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and supports Tehran’s defense of its “sovereignty, security and national dignity,” according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.
Beijing’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, spoke over the phone Sunday with his Iranian counterpart, acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri. According to a statement from the ministry, the two exchanged views on the situation unfolding in the Middle East, and Wang said China condemns last month’s assassination of Haniyeh. Advertisement
“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination, viewing it as a severe violation of the basic principles of international relations, a serious infringement on Iran’s sovereignty, security and dignity and a direct disruption of the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, impacting regional peace and stability,” he said.
Haniyeh was killed late last month in Tehran. Both Iran and Hamas hold Israel responsible though Israel has yet to comment.
Iran has vowed to retaliate, which has raised fears of not only widening the Israel-Hamas war but of dashing hopes of achieving a cease-fire that U.S. officials say is near complete. Advertisement
Amid rising concerns, Wang said Sunday that China supports Iran’s position of self-defense.
“China supports Iran in legally defending its sovereignty, security and national dignity and is willing to maintain close communication with Iran to support its efforts to maintain regional peace and stability,” Wang told Bagheri, the Beijing ministry said.
Hamas is an Iran proxy militia. War between Hamas and Israel began Oct. 7, when Hamas launched a bloody surprise attack on the Middle Eastern country, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking some 250 more hostage.
Israel has responded by razing much of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza that Hamas governs, killing nearly 40,000 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which does not differentiate Hamas militants from civilians.
The United States has for months been mediating a cease-fire in the more than 300-day war. Amid worries of an Iran retaliatory attack, U.S. officials have been pushing Israel and Hamas to come to an agreement that would see a halt to the fighting and the exchange of prisoners held by both sides.
