Overview
- Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun warned the US against using or threatening force in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying any intervention would breach Iran’s sovereignty.
- President Xi Jinping urged all parties to cool tensions and prevent further escalation at a Central Asian summit.
- President Trump signaled he “may or may not” order strikes on Iran following Israel’s attack, citing his impatience and calling on Tehran to step back.
- Beijing has deepened military and economic cooperation with Iran, including joint naval drills and continued energy purchases despite omitting Tehran’s oil imports from customs data.
- The US government has imposed sanctions on several Chinese firms accused of facilitating Iranian oil trade as tensions highlight the broader strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing.