‘US lost its credibility': China raps Donald Trump govt over attacks on Iran nuclear sites
China claimed the US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities had damaged the Donald Trump-led government's credibility and warned that the situation "may go out of control", its state broadcaster reported, following a UN Security Council meeting on Sunday.
The US on Sunday bombed multiple nuclear sites of Iran, including Fordow, which is Iran's most important nuclear enrichment facility.
President Donald Trump said the US had "obliterated" Tehran's main nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against Iran since its 1979 revolution.
The UN Security Council met on Sunday to discuss US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. Russia, China and Pakistan urged the 15-member body to call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East, reported Reuters.
China's UN Ambassador Fu Cong said the involved parties should avoid the "impulse of force, avoid exacerbating conflicts and adding fuel to the fire," as per the news report.
Fu said parties, especially Israel, "should immediately cease fire to prevent the situation from escalating and avoid the spillover of war."
Iran was hurt, but "the United States' credibility was also damaged - both as a country and as a participant in any international negotiations', Fu added.
State media commentary late on Sunday said the US move was extremely dangerous and provocative.
Reuters said, citing the Global Times newspaper, that the external military interference would never bring peace, and only "deepen regional hatred and trauma."
Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said on Monday that attacking nuclear facilities that were under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency was "a serious violation of the United Nations Charter," the news agency said.
China has proposed to help strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, and restore peace in the Middle East, Guo said at a regular press briefing.
Guo also said Chinese citizens in Iran who were willing to leave had all been evacuated to safe areas.
With the help of China's foreign ministry, the Chinese embassy in Iran and other authorities, "3,125 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Iran," Reuters reported, citing Guo.
The evacuated residents are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. China considers democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory.
In Israel, the Chinese embassy has organised the evacuation of more than 500 citizens from the country, reported the news agency.
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