Diplomatic pressure from Russia and China: Call for peace to maintain regional stability

International Desk: PNN 

Russia and China have strongly condemned the U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that this war could create a situation that might lead Iran toward nuclear weapons proliferation, which the U.S. and Israel were supposedly trying to prevent. He added that the U.S. typically does not attack countries capable of possessing nuclear weapons, so this assault is contrary to policy and could have unintended consequences.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Gidi Sar, over the phone on Tuesday, saying that the U.S. and Israel jointly attacked Iran at a time when Washington and Tehran had achieved “significant progress” in diplomatic talks. Wang Yi stated that China does not support any military action and is calling for an immediate halt to the war to prevent escalation and loss of control.

He further said, “Problems cannot be solved by force; it only creates new problems and long-term serious consequences.” He also requested Sar to take concrete steps to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in Iran, which was agreed upon.

From the Russian side, Lavrov warned that U.S. and Israeli attacks could lead to the formation of forces in Iran pursuing nuclear weapons development. He cautioned that such military aggression could also push Arab countries to enter the nuclear arms race and go beyond the control of nuclear proliferation. Lavrov said Russia has yet to see Iran developing nuclear weapons and that he discussed with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Russia is ready to help find a diplomatic solution.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called the U.S. and Israeli attacks “planned and unexpected armed aggression.” The ministry claimed that the real objective of both countries was to bring about a change in power in Tehran, which they concealed behind diplomatic talks. It further warned that the negative consequences of this man-made crisis, including uncontrolled reactions and the spread of violence, are the full responsibility of the U.S. and Israel.

Analysts say that the diplomatic pressure from Russia and China and their call for peaceful resolution are efforts to preserve regional stability, even though U.S. and Israeli military operations are still ongoing.