Chinese Xi ‘deeply worried’ by Israel’s military action against Iran

BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping said Tuesday he was “deeply worried” by Israel’s military action against Iran, Chinese state media reported.

“Israel launching military action against Iran has caused a sudden escalation in tension in the Middle East, China is deeply worried about this,” he said during a meeting with the Uzbek president in Kazakhstan, Xinhua reported.

Two explosions were heard on Tuesday in Iran’s northwestern city of Tabriz, local media reported as Iran and Israel trade fire for a fifth day.

“Two explosions occurred in Tabriz five minutes apart,” the Ham Mihan newspaper reported. “Thick smoke was seen around Tabriz Tuesday morning after the explosion,” Mehr news agency reported, publishing a video from the city, which lies more than 600 kilometres (375 miles) from Tehran and is home to a major air force base targeted by Israel in recent days.

Similarly, explosions were heard over the Iranian capital, Tehran, too, earlier in the day, the country’s state media reported, as the Israel-Iran conflicts enters its fifth day.

As per latest reports, three locations were hit by Israeli projectiles in Tehran.

Iran also accused the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday of siding with Israel in its call for “de-escalation” in their intensifying conflict, now in its fifth day.

“The G7 must give up its one-sided rhetoric and tackle the real source of the escalation — Israel’s aggression,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.

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“Israel has launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran… in violation of… the UN Charter,”  the spokesman said.

“Hundreds of innocent people have been killed, our public and state facilities and people’s homes are brutally demolished.

“Iran is defending itself against a cruel aggression. Does Iran really have any other choice?” he asked.

At a G7 summit in Canada on Monday, leaders including US President Donald Trump had called for “de-escalation” of the conflict while stressing Israel had the right to defend itself.

In a concluding statement, the G7 leaders said they were committed to “peace and stability” in the Middle East.

“We oppose any act that infringes upon the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of other countries.”

Likewise,  Iran accused the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday of siding with Israel in its call for “de-escalation” in their intensifying conflict, now in its fifth day.

“The G7 must give up its one-sided rhetoric and tackle the real source of the escalation — Israel’s aggression,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.

“Israel has launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran… in violation of… the UN Charter,”  the spokesman said.

“Hundreds of innocent people have been killed, our public and state facilities and people’s homes are brutally demolished.

“Iran is defending itself against a cruel aggression. Does Iran really have any other choice?” he asked.

At a G7 summit in Canada on Monday, leaders including US President Donald Trump had called for “de-escalation” of the conflict while stressing Israel had the right to defend itself.

In a concluding statement, the G7 leaders said they were committed to “peace and stability” in the Middle East.

“We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel,” said the statement.

“Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror,” it said.

“We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East,” the G7 statement added.