Russian and Chinese Leaders Condemn US-Israeli Strikes on Iran, Call for Ceasefire
ISTANBUL
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi strongly condemned the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran and called for an immediate halt to hostilities.
During a phone conversation on Sunday, the two ministers urged all parties to seek a political and diplomatic solution to tensions in Iran while respecting the legitimate security concerns of all Gulf states.
Criticism of US-Israeli Actions
Lavrov and Wang described the strikes as “aggression” that violates international law and the principles of the UN Charter. They warned that the attacks destabilize the entire region and undermine global security. The ministers also opposed efforts to “overthrow the legitimately elected authorities of sovereign states,” highlighting the unified stance of Moscow and Beijing during an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
The two leaders expressed readiness to work together to stabilize the situation by coordinating actions through the UN Security Council, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter.
Dialogue With UAE
Separately, Lavrov spoke with his Abdullah bin Zayed on Saturday. Both ministers shared a “unanimous view” that all hostilities should end immediately and the conflict should return to a political and diplomatic framework. Lavrov criticized the US-Israeli strikes as “unprovoked aggression” and stressed the destabilizing effect of the military escalation in the Gulf region.
Background
The US and Israel conducted attacks on Iran on Saturday, killing several senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Tehran launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel, US assets, and multiple Gulf countries. A similar US-Israel strike last June triggered a 12-day conflict before a ceasefire was declared.
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