China backs Iran's defense of sovereignty amid rising tensions with Israel
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China has expressed strong support for Iran in defending its "sovereignty, security, and national dignity," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed during a phone conversation with Iran's acting Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, on Sunday.
According to a statement from China's foreign ministry, Wang reiterated Beijing's condemnation of the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, denouncing the attack as a violation of Iran's sovereignty and a threat to regional stability.
Iran and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that resulted in Haniyeh's death. Although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility, the assassination has heightened fears that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza could escalate into a broader Middle East war. In response, Iran has vowed to "harshly punish" Israel for the assassination.
Wang emphasized that the killing of Haniyeh had "directly undermined the Gaza ceasefire negotiation process and regional peace and stability." He further affirmed China's readiness to maintain close communication with Iran in its efforts to preserve regional peace and stability.
On the same day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Abbas Araqchi, a former chief negotiator in nuclear talks from 2013 to 2021, as the country's new foreign minister.