The flag of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is placed on stage before Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine speak at the Pentagon in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel's effort to decapitate the country's nuclear program. - AP Photo/Alex Brandon
BEIJING (AFP): China's foreign ministry said on Sunday it "strongly condemns" US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, adding that they "escalate tensions in the Middle East".
"China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible," the ministry said in a statement.
Hours earlier President Donald Trump said US warplanes struck three Iranian nuclear sites, as Washington joined Israel's war with Tehran in a flashpoint moment for the Middle East.
Iran's foreign minister said Sunday the United States and Israel had "crossed a very big red line" and that Iran would defend itself "by all means necessary".
Beijing's foreign ministry joined Russia and a chorus of Arab states in condemning the US air strikes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said last week a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was the "top priority" during a phone call with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
"Armed force is not the correct way to resolve international disputes," Xi said, quoted by Beijing's foreign ministry. - AFP
