China supports Iran in defending its “sovereignty, security and national dignity,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iran's acting foreign minister in a phone call Sunday, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
In the talks, Wang repeated Beijing's condemnation of the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, saying the attack violated Iran's sovereignty and threatened regional stability.
Iran and the Palestinian Muslim group Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the secret attack that killed Haniyeh.
Israel has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for the killing, which has raised fears that the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a wider Middle East war.
Iran has vowed to “severely punish” Israel for the killing.
Wang told Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran's acting foreign minister, that Haniyeh's killing had “directly damaged the ceasefire negotiation process in Gaza and undermined regional peace and stability,” China's Foreign Ministry said.
“China supports Iran in upholding its sovereignty, security and national dignity in accordance with the law, and in its efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability, and stands ready to maintain close communication with Iran,” Wang said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday nominated Abbas Araqchi as the country's foreign minister. Araqchi was Iran's chief negotiator in nuclear talks from 2013 to 2021. (about/after)
