China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning addresses a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.[Screengrab/AA]
China on Tuesday urged against renewed military escalation, hours after the US launched strikes against Iran’s Qeshm Island, while Tehran said the “ball” was “in America’s court to prevent war,” Anadolu reports.
“China believes that military means are not the solution. They will only lead to escalation that serves no one’s interest. It is hoped that relevant parties will stick to peace, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and restore peace and tranquility in the Middle East and the Gulf region at an early date,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.
Mao was responding to a question about whether she was concerned about any possible resumption of US or Israeli attacks on Iran after the US midterm elections scheduled for Tuesday, according to an official transcript of her news briefing.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran in Beijing on Monday for separate meetings, stressing the need to use dialogue for a political end to the conflict in the Middle East while also urging Gulf nations to rebuild mutual trust.
READ: China calls on US, Iran to return to Islamabad MoU, dialogue
The statement from Beijing came after the US military carried out what it called “defensive” strikes against Qeshm Island on Monday night.
However, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tuesday that Tehran had delivered a “firm and rational” response to Washington, stressing that the US must now decide whether to prevent another war.
Speaking during a parliamentary session, Qalibaf, who is also leading Iran’s negotiating team in talks with the US, said Tehran remained prepared for both diplomacy and military confrontation.
“Iran has delivered a firm and rational response to the American side, and now the ball is in America’s court to prevent war,” he said.
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