‘End to the ‘Law of the Jungle’ Must Prevail’: Wang Yi

Kathmandu, March 2: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. The talks, held at the request of the Russian Foreign Minister, focused on the latest situation in Iran and the rising tensions in the Middle East.

During the conversation, Wang Yi strongly condemned the joint military attack on Iran by the United States and Israel, calling it a grave violation of international law. “It is unacceptable for an attack to be launched on Iran and for the leader of a sovereign nation to be assassinated while Iran-US negotiations were underway,” he stated. “This step has demolished the fundamental norms of international relations.”

Noting that China has always supported the principles of the UN Charter and opposed the use of force in international relations, Wang Yi clarified China’s three-point stance on the situation in Iran. First, military operations must be halted immediately. Second, there must be an immediate return to the path of dialogue and negotiation. Third, unilateral actions must be jointly opposed.

“To attack a sovereign nation without the authorization of the UN Security Council is to undermine the very foundation of peace established after the Second World War,” Wang Yi said. “The international community must send a clear message against any regression to the era of the ‘law of the jungle’.”

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that the US-Israel attack has severely damaged the stability of the Middle East, noting that Russia’s position on this matter aligns with China’s. He expressed readiness to coordinate with China to convey a clear message through forums such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomatic negotiations.

Notably, tensions in the Middle East have escalated to a peak after the US and Israel launched a joint military attack on Iran on Saturday, resulting in the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following the incident, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was convened at China’s request.