China supports Iran's 'limited and self-defense' response to Israel

According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Emphasizing that China strongly condemns and opposes the attack on Iran's diplomatic mission in Damascus and views it as a violation of international law, Wang stated that they welcome Iran's declaration that its counter-action would be limited and in the nature of self-defense.

The Chinese Foreign Minister expressed their belief that Iran would handle the situation while protecting its own sovereignty without dragging the region into turmoil.

Pointing out that the rising tension in the Middle East is a spillover effect of the conflict in Gaza, Wang underscored the need to implement United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2728 and to end the war by achieving a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible.

In his meeting with Wang, Abdollahian, who conveyed his country's position regarding Israel's airstrike on Iran's diplomatic mission in Syria, stated that the UNSC had not given the necessary response to the attack and that Iran has the right to self-defense against the violation of its sovereignty.

Abdollahian emphasized that Iran would act with restraint in the face of the sensitivity of the regional situation and has no intention of further escalating tensions.

Expressing that Iran supports China's active efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and is in favor of establishing peace and strengthening cooperation among regional countries, Abdollahian noted that they are ready to work together to further develop Iran-China cooperation.

Israel had carried out an airstrike on Iran's consulate building in Damascus on April 1. In the attack, a total of 7 Iranian officials, including 2 generals from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, were killed.

Iran had announced that Israel's consulate attack meant an attack on its territory and that they would retaliate. Israel, in turn, had announced that it would respond to Iran's attack.

Iran launched an attack on Israel on April 13 with hundreds of kamikaze drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.

Iran announced that some targets were hit, while Israel stated that most of the attacks were intercepted by air defense systems, but that a missile had hit a military base in the south.

The Israeli press had claimed that the Tel Aviv administration had decided to respond to Iran's air attack in an "open and effective" manner.

News Source: AA