Attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities dent US credibility: Chinese UN envoy

The United States will face a backlash from its attacks on the Iranian nuclear facilities, hurting its credibility as a country or a party to any international negotiations, said Fu Cong, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations on Sunday.

Fu made the remarks during a short interview with China Central Television before attending an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the conflict between Israel and Iran.

Fu said the attacks, which hit three nuclear sites in Iran, namely Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, severely disrupted the international order and the assaults will incur harms to the United States itself.

"China strongly condemns the U.S. military attack on the nuclear facilities in Iran, which I emphasized are under the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards and we think this is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and the international law and it has dealt a devastating blow to the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) regime, which is a very important pillar of the international order. And let me also add that yes, Iran is harmed, but also is harmed is the U.S. credibility as a country and as a party to any international negotiations," he said.

At Sunday's emergency meeting, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of UN, warned that the United States' bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities marks a "perilous turn" in an already volatile region.

"We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation," said Guterres while stressing the urgency of finding a diplomatic solution out of the ongoing and escalating conflict. "To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail," he added.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States had completed attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran.

Trump's decision to intervene directly in support of Israel's attempt to dismantle Iran's nuclear program marks a major escalation in the Middle East and sparks fears of a wider conflict in the region.

Attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities dent US credibility: Chinese UN envoy

Attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities dent US credibility: Chinese UN envoy

Attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities dent US credibility: Chinese UN envoy

Attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities dent US credibility: Chinese UN envoy

Protesters filled Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma on Saturday, rallying in solidarity with Venezuela and denouncing U.S. influence in Latin America.

The United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela in the early hours of Jan 3, taking by force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Holding numerous flags and banners while chanting slogans intermittently, a huge crowd of protesters criticized U.S. military actions against Venezuela and the unlawful control over President Maduro and his spouse, calling for respect for national sovereignty and regional peace.

"We oppose the U.S. intervention and hegemony towards the countries in Latin America. The United States has flagrantly trampled on international law, bombed Caracas and kidnapped the Maduro couple. The U.S. interventionism has become extremely blatant. We must firmly oppose and be highly vigilant, because this is not only related to a certain country, but also to all countries," said a protester.

"We demand that the United States stop interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs. The country must immediately cease its exploitation and plundering of the countries in Latin America," said another protester.

Protest erupts in Mexico City over US military operation in Venezuela