China tells Iran FM that US should stop 'abusing' use of force
"Risky behavior of US will worsen tensions in region," said Chinese FM.
BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States should stop abusing the use of force and seek solutions via dialogue, China’s foreign minister said, after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on Friday killed Iran’s most prominent military commander.
The risky behavior of the U.S. military violates the basic norms of international relations and will worsen tensions and turbulence in the region, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on a phone call on Saturday.
China will play a constructive role in maintaining peace and security in the Middle East Gulf region, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement, citing Wang on the call.
A US drone strike killed Soleimani -- head of the Quds Force, Iran’s foreign operations arm -- before dawn on Friday in Baghdad, an attack that has sparked fears of a regional war between Washington and Tehran.
Iran promised "severe revenge" in response, as a number of nations -- including China -- urged restraint.
"China opposes the use of force in international relations. There is no way out for military means, nor for extreme pressure," Wang said in his Saturday call with Zarif, according to the ministry.
China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, is a key partner of Tehran and major buyer of Iranian oil.
Iran, China and Russia held joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman last week and the Iranian foreign minister visited Beijing earlier this week.
China and Russia are also parties to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in May last year.
