China again urges Iran and the US to halt hostilities

Istanbul (ANTARA) - China has again called on the United States and Iran to halt hostilities and return to dialogue. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that Beijing is ‘deeply’ concerned about the situation. Jian cautioned that military conflict would only ‘exacerbate the situation’ and that continuing military action would not resolve any fundamental issues. ‘The sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of countries in the region must be respected and protected,’ Lin said. He urged the relevant parties to cease military actions, resume dialogue and negotiations, respond to mediation efforts by concerned countries, and achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible. Over the past two weeks, the US and Iran have exchanged periodic strikes amid rising tensions across the region. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck 18 major American military targets in the Gulf in response to American missile strikes. The US strikes targeted recreational sites, industrial areas and locations near Karaj and Nazarabad west of Tehran, as well as an IRGC base in Pishva County.