'Blatant aggression': China’s premier backs Iran, slams US and Israeli strikes

Chinese Premier Li Qiang vehemently denounced US and Israeli military actions against Iran, branding them as "blatant aggression" during a meeting with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, Li emphasized that the strikes transpired during ongoing negotiations and without the UN Security Council's approval.

He also advocated reviving the Islamabad Agreement and pledged China's continued support for Iran's legitimate rights in global platforms. Separately, President Xi Jinping stated that the Middle East conflict, sparked by the February US-Israeli strikes on Iran, was inflicting substantial damage and lacked global benefit, as reported by the Daily Star.

Li's vehement language transcends a typical plea for restraint, as China positions the strikes as a breach of Iranian sovereignty and the UN Charter due to their occurrence amid Iran-US nuclear talks and absence of explicit UN Security Council authorization. Beijing has persistently demanded an immediate end to military operations, a return to diplomacy, and international opposition to unilateral military action.

Iran's Tehran Times and Mehr News Agency reported China's rejection of the US's push for sanctions and pressure on Iran. Ghalibaf welcomed China's stance on rejecting new US sanctions, while Pezeshkian contended that US economic pressure would fail. The conflict originated following US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, including alleged attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.

China, as Iran's foremost economic partner and a significant purchaser of Iranian oil, has primarily offered political, diplomatic, and economic backing rather than direct military intervention.