Immediate intervention from the international community is needed to prevent the recent retaliatory strikes launched by Iran and Israel against each other from escalating into a wider regional war in the Middle East, a Chinese researcher said in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an on Friday.
Iranian state media said Friday that the country's air defense systems brought down three drones over the central city of Isfahan, a site of nuclear facility and military base. Multiple state news agencies also reported that the sites associated with Iran's nuclear program were secure and the attack appeared to be limited in scope. Israel later confirmed that it had carried out the military strike on Iranian soil.
It followed April 13's unprecedented coordinated drone and missile strike launched by Iran and allied armed groups on Israel in retaliation for a deadly assault on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on April 1. Iran has blamed Israel for carrying out the strike on its consular building in Damascus, which killed seven Iranians, including two military commanders.
Amid the tit-for-tat exchanges between the two countries in a region already mired in a months-long conflict in the Gaza Strip, Wang Jin, a research fellow at the Syria Research Center of Northwest University in China, said Israel's latest strike against a crucial Iranian nuclear site could prompt Iran and its allied groups to hit back.
He said the international community needs to act quickly to prevent the situation from further escalation.
"When we're talking about a nuclear site, it is a very sensitive target and also it might lead to the escalation of tension in this region because Isfahan, of course, the city itself is a very important with very historical background and historical importance inside Iran. But then the more important in that is [in the] surrounding areas of Isfahan, there are several nuclear sites. And when the Israel decided to attack the nuclear sites, it might lead to further escalation, and rivalries, and hatred of Iranians towards Israelis. So that might lead to further retaliation," Wang said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
"There were some other, maybe more targets inside Iraq, inside Syria were also attacked. So that is why I think that the militias, for example, the military groups in these countries with close connections with Iran will also be mobilized and organized by Iran to launch new waves of attacks altogether against the Israeli targets. So that is why the tension in this region in the next few days or next few hours might go into the very higher level of tension. So, I think that is why international community's interventions very immediately is highly needed right now," he said.
The expert believes that a lack of communication between Israel and Iran, two important players in the Middle East, is part of the reason leading to tensions in the region.
"I think Israel miscalculated the very possible consequences of attacking the Iranian consular building in Damascus. They believe it's a very military target, but from the perspective of global [community], from the perspective of Iran, it should be considered a diplomatic and political target. So that is why it led to the further escalation of the tension. The very important problem or the vital problem here is that there was no direct communication channel between Israel and Iran. So that it will let the two sides [having to] understand the red line of the other side," Wang said.
Int’l community intervention needed to prevent further tensions in Middle East: expert
As China and France toast their 60-year milestone, the sister cities of Huzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province and French city of Montargis are leading the charge to fortify relations like never before, from enriching cultural exchanges to pioneering eco-friendly initiatives.
In separate interviews with China Global Television Network in late April, mayors of the two cities that blazed a trail of collaboration for 20 years shared that they have been keen to stay true to the China-France cooperation spirit and plans to foster greater interaction in the cultural sphere.
"For example, this October, we're planning to collaborate with the Ministry of Education's China National Committee for International Language Exchange, which runs a program called 'Chinese Bridge.' We'll be inviting 30 students from Lycee en Foret, Montargis, to join the 'Chinese Bridge' Autumn Camp in our city. This camp serves as a youth exchange program between sister cities of China and France," said Hong Hupeng, Mayor of Huzhou, the birthplace of the guiding concept of "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".
On his side, Mayor Benoit Digeon takes pride in highlighting that 180 pupils are learning Chinese in local schools, with a special focus on nurturing next generation's cross-cultural understanding.
"We will focus everything on youth, young people who will come to attend classes in a college or high school. We have 180 young people in Montargis learning Chinese. So, these young people can blend into a group that will go to school with them. And then there are also artists and athletes. We want to bring a team of young basketball players from Montargis to compete with young Chinese basketball players. For those who went to China the previous year, we will invite their Chinese counterparts to come and vice versa with their families. And all this will create bonds, bonds of friendship. We start with the young and when they are 20, or 25 years old, they will be able to do that by themselves and have exchange visits with Huzhou," added Digeon.
Montargis is called "Little Venice" due to its charming watery cityscape. Located about 100 kilometers south of Paris, the town is not only a key tourist destination in France, but also boasts much historical significance.
Montargis is one of the top priorities for many Chinese tourists who wish to venerate early Chinese revolutionaries as it is the birthplace of the famous Work-Study Movement.
Between 1919 and 1921, many ambitious young Chinese went to France, where they worked in factories in Montargis and other French cities to pay for their studies. Many youngsters became interested in Marxism and established one of the earliest Chinese Communist groups in the European country. Deng Xiaoping, the late Chinese leader and the chief architect of China's reform and opening-up, was among these students.
Nowadays, with Montargis and Huzhou standing as shining examples of sister cities from both sides, the mayor of Huzhou emphasized the unique and profound connection between the two cities while the mayor of Montargis praised the rapid development of the Chinese city.
"I believe that Montargis has a unique and deep connection with China. Since the inception of our partnership, visits between our two cities have grown more frequent. Last May, I had the chance to visit Montargis for the first time, and the experience truly resonated with me. Throughout history, Chinese and French youths have played pivotal roles in nurturing the friendship between our two nations. During the 1920s, young Chinese intellectuals such as Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yi worked and studied in Montargis, laying the foundation for a profound and enduring connection between Montargis and China," said Hong.
"The meeting of Huzhou and Montargis, was a somewhat improbable encounter for a small town at that time. Huzhou was not the big city it has become, since at that time, President Xi Jinping had not yet proposed the concept of 'Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets' in Huzhou. But, it happened very quickly. We visited the city again a few days ago and it was amazing. All that has been done, we were really amazed," added Digeon.
Cities of China, France ready to strengthen cultural connections: mayors
