China urges de-escalation after Trump announces Israel-Iran ceasefire

Reuters

China has called for calm and a swift return to dialogue, urging parties to avoid further escalation in the Middle East, following a ceasefire announcement by US President Donald Trump between Israel and Iran.

“We do not want to see the spiraling up of tensions and hope that a ceasefire can be realised as early as possible,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said during a press conference in Beijing, responding to a question from Anadolu.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump declared on Monday that a “complete and total” ceasefire had been agreed upon between Israel and Iran. The ceasefire reportedly came into force at 0400 GMT on Tuesday, following sustained airstrikes and missile attacks from both sides.

“China is watching closely the developments in the Middle East,” Guo added. “Military means can’t bring peace, and the right way of solving issues is dialogue and negotiation.”

Tensions escalated sharply after the US launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile attacks on the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and a series of assaults on Israeli cities.

According to Israeli officials, at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds wounded since Iran’s retaliation began. Meanwhile, Iran’s Health Ministry has reported over 430 deaths and more than 3,500 injuries from Israeli attacks since June 13.

China has repeatedly emphasised the need for diplomatic engagement in resolving regional conflicts and reaffirmed its commitment to stability and peace in the Middle East.

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