China urges respect for Iranian sovereignty, demands immediate ceasefire
Beijing - The Chinese government has condemned military attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and called for an immediate halt to military operations.
“Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity must be respected. China calls for the immediate cessation of military operations,” said a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a written statement on the ministry’s website, accessed by ANTARA in Beijing on Saturday.
On Saturday (28 February), Israel and the United States launched a combined attack on Iran. The attack represents the second operation under US President Donald Trump, following the initial “Operation Midnight Hammer” against Iran in June 2025.
China has expressed grave concern over the military assault on Iran carried out by the United States and Israel.
“We urge that there be no further escalation of the current situation, a return to dialogue and negotiation, and continued efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle East,” the statement said.
Trump stated that US forces launched a large-scale military operation against Iran to protect its people by eliminating direct threats from the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons development.
Trump also pledged to destroy Iran’s missiles, devastate its missile industry, and annihilate its navy, whilst reiterating that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons.
“We will destroy their missiles and devastate their missile industry to the ground. That will be completely, once again, destroyed,” Trump said in a video posted to his Truth Social account.
He also stated that Washington would take action against proxy groups he said threatened regional stability. He also referenced the use of IEDs or roadside bombs which he said had injured and killed thousands of people, including Americans.
Trump reiterated that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons.
Previously, on Saturday (28 February), it was reported that Israel had launched preliminary strikes against Iran.
Iran characterised the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter, and promised to respond and launch retaliatory strikes.
In a statement, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks targeted defence infrastructure and civilian locations in several cities and occurred whilst Tehran and Washington were engaged in diplomatic processes.
The ministry stressed that Iran had prioritised diplomacy to prevent war, but “the time has now come to defend the homeland” and that the armed forces would respond in a “decisive and robust manner.”
Tehran asserted its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter and called upon the UN Security Council and the international community to condemn the combined US-Israeli attack and take urgent action.
The attacks came as Oman mediated negotiations between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, with the latest round held in Geneva on Thursday (26 February).
On Friday (27 February), Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi stated that US-Iran nuclear negotiations had agreed a non-stockpiling policy on enriched uranium, with reductions in stocks to the lowest level and conversion to permanent fuel under full verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).