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Xi and Putin Reject Israel’s Actions Against Iran
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Image depicting Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. — Reuters/File
ADVERTISEMENT - Xi and Putin criticize Israel’s military actions against Iran.
- Both leaders advocate for diplomatic and political resolutions.
- The Chinese president urges Israel to halt hostilities.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly denounced Israel for its military strikes on Iran, advocating for a need to reduce tensions, as reported by the Kremlin following their phone conversation.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov informed reporters that both leaders "strongly condemn Israel’s actions, which contravene the U.N. Charter and international law standards."
They emphasized that neither Moscow nor Beijing believes military action can resolve the ongoing issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.
"This situation must be addressed through exclusively political and diplomatic avenues," Ushakov stated.
Without explicitly naming the United States, Xi remarked that "major countries" with "significant influence" in the region should intensify their diplomatic efforts to ease the current tensions, according to China’s state Xinhua news agency.
Xi stressed, "The parties involved, especially Israel, must bring an end to hostilities immediately to prevent further escalation and to avoid a spillover of the conflict."
The Chinese leader also called for measures to protect civilians, urging Israel and Iran to assist in evacuating foreign citizens.
Russia has issued warnings about the potential for catastrophe if the ongoing seven-day conflict between Israel and Iran escalates further and has appealed to the U.S. not to participate in Israel’s military actions.
In recent days, Putin has maintained communication with U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, repeatedly affirming that Russia is prepared to mediate between the opposing parties.
To date, there has been no acceptance of Russia’s mediation offer.
During his conversation with Xi, Putin reiterated this proposal, which Xi reportedly supported, seeing it as a way to help de-escalate the pressing situation. However, the official Chinese statement did not highlight Xi’s support for this mediation.
The two leaders agreed to keep in regular contact in the coming days.
China has historically supported Tehran as part of its strategy to bolster its strategic and economic presence in the Middle East. Analysts suggest that China purchases up to 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, particularly in transshipment trades off the coast of Malaysia, providing a crucial financial lifeline to Iran amid U.S. sanctions.
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