China has urged Iran not to resort to military action but to solve conflict through dialogue and negotiation as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah nears.
The remarks were made by Zhai Jun, China’s special envoy for Middle Eastern affairs, while meeting Iranian ambassador to China Mohsen Bakhtiyar in Beijing on Monday, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Zhai said China was “deeply concerned” about the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East, adding that military measures could not resolve disagreements between countries, and dialogue and negotiation were the correct solution.
He also urged Arab and Islamic countries to contribute more to de-escalating regional conflicts.
Bakhtiyar called on the international community to work together to end hostilities and avoid the spread of conflicts beyond the region.
Bakhtiyar said Iran appreciated China’s efforts to promote stability and peace in the region, and looked forward to strengthening communication with Beijing over regional affairs.
Iran is the main backer of armed groups Hamas and Hezbollah, which are embroiled in armed conflicts with Israel. In addition to being a militant group, Hezbollah is a major political party in Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah are reportedly nearing a ceasefire deal to end their 13-month conflict, despite recent attacks by both sides.
The truce would require Israel, which invaded Lebanon in October, to withdraw from the country, while Hezbollah forces would have to retreat from the border region, traditionally a stronghold of the group, Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker Elias Bou Saab told Reuters. He added that the Lebanese army would be deployed in the border region.
A new US-led committee would monitor ceasefire violations. United Nations peacekeepers and the Lebanese army would be deployed to prevent Hezbollah violations, failing which Israel’s military would be free to act.
Reuters reported that negotiations over the deal had made significant progress and the Israeli cabinet was scheduled to approve the ceasefire on Tuesday.
US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce the deal in Lebanon, according to the news agency.
Signs of a diplomatic breakthrough came after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged a round of assaults last week.
Israel launched an air strike in Lebanese capital Beirut on Saturday, killing more than 29 people, including children.
In response, Hezbollah fired some 250 projectiles into Israel on Sunday, which wounded seven people. Some of the rockets reached the Tel Aviv area in the heart of Israel.
Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah began in October of last year, when the latter began launching rockets and bomb drones against Israel in an effort to support Hamas, which is at war with Israel in Gaza.
Source » scmp