China urges Iran, Pakistan to avoid escalation

ISTANBUL

China Wednesday urged Iran and Pakistan to “avoid escalation and respect” national sovereignty after Tehran launched airstrikes inside the South Asian nation.

“China believes that the relations between countries should be handled based on the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning replied to Anadolu during a news conference in Beijing.

Anadolu had sought Beijing’s response to Pakistan’s condemnation of an airstrike by Iran inside the territory of the South Asian nation on Tuesday night.

Besides bilateral relations, Iran and Pakistan are allies of China at Shanghai Cooperation Organization too.

Calling on Tehran and Islamabad to “exercise restraint, avoid actions that escalate the tension,” Mao said: “All countries’ sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be earnestly respected and protected,” according to a transcript of Mao’s news conference released by the ministry.

Noting that Iran and Pakistan are close neighbors and “major Islamic countries,” she urged the two sides to “jointly keep the region peaceful and stable.”

Islamabad late Tuesday blasted Iran for violating its airspace and carrying out an airstrike, killing two children and injuring three others.

In response, Islamabad launched a diplomatic offensive, recalling its ambassador from Iran, and suspended all high-level diplomatic exchanges with Tehran. The Iranian envoy to Pakistan, who is currently visiting Iran, has also been asked not to return.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian confessed at the World Economic Forum that Iran had launched airstrikes inside Pakistan.