China has “strongly condemned” the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the United States and Israel, calling for an immediate halt to military operations in the region.
In a statement issued by Beijing’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday, the Chinese government described the killing as “a serious violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security, a trampling on the aims and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations.”
“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this,” the statement read, calling again for an immediate halting of military operations.
The statement followed reports of a phone conversation between China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, which Xinhua said was initiated by Lavrov. During the call, Wang denounced the “blatant killing of a sovereign leader and the incitement of regime change” by the United States and Israel as “unacceptable.”
“China is highly concerned that the situation in the Middle East could be pushed into a dangerous abyss,” Wang said, according to Xinhua.
“The international community must send a definite and clear message opposing the world’s regression to the law of the jungle.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also condemned the killing, describing it as “a cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry further reported that at least one Chinese citizen was “injured” in the strikes, and some temporary travellers are stranded. However, no details were provided on the exact number, physical condition, or location of those affected.
In response, Beijing has reiterated calls for its citizens in Iran to evacuate as soon as possible, offering visa-free land routes into Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey for Chinese passport holders.
The condemnation by China underscores growing international concern over the escalation in the Middle East following Khamenei’s killing and highlights the risks faced by foreign nationals in the region.
