UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the U.S. rhetoric suggesting possible intervention in the situation in Iran, urging all parties to pursue diplomacy and dialogue in line with the principles of the UN Charter, his spokesperson said on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration is weighing "some very strong options," including potential military action against Iran amid the unrest across the Middle East country.
At a press briefing Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, conveyed Guterres' alarm over the remarks.
"The rhetoric that we've heard around the situation in Iran, which is concerning to him (Guterres), and he encourages all to adopt a path of diplomacy and dialogue," said Dujarric.
"We push for dialogue, and I think the [UN] Charter is very clear on your question," Dujarric said when asked whether foreign intervention might help resolve the crisis. The UN Charter enshrines core principles including the sovereign equality of all states, non-intervention in the affairs of other states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
These norms were further reinforced by the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly, which explicitly states that no state or group of states has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other state.
Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall in the national currency rial and long-standing economic hardships. The reported death toll from the unrest on both sides of the security forces and civilians is mounting.
UN chief urges diplomacy amid US military threats against Iran: spokesperson
The agreement between China and the European Union (EU) on providing general guidance on price undertakings for Chinese exporters of passenger battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to the EU will help stabilize industrial and supply chains, said an industry analyst.
The move aims to address relevant concerns in a more practical, targeted, and consistent manner with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, according to the Ministry of Commerce in a statement on Monday.
The statement noted that in the spirit of mutual respect, the two sides have conducted multiple rounds of consultations in order to implement the consensus of the China-EU Summit and properly resolve the EU's anti-subsidy case concerning Chinese BEVs.
To that end, the European Commission on Monday issued guidance on the submission of price undertaking offers, covering various aspects that should be addressed in any such offer, including the minimum import price, sales channels, cross-compensation, and future investments in the EU.
Each price undertaking offer is subject to the same legal criteria, and the commission will conduct each assessment in an objective and fair manner, following the principle of non-discrimination and in accordance with WTO rules, the commission said.
On the same day, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) also issued a statement welcoming the positive outcome of the consultations.
Chen Huiqing, director of the CCCME's Legal Department, said that reaching a price commitment helps companies protect their profits from tariffs.
"For companies, reaching a price commitment means profits stay with the firm, instead of being taken away as EU anti-subsidy tariffs," said Chen.
The price-undertaking option will help stabilize supply chains and support global trade, she added.
"After multiple rounds of talks, China and the EU have reached a positive, 'soft-landing' outcome that helps stabilize industrial and supply chains and supports broader China-EU trade and the global trade order," Chen said.
China-EU agreement on price undertaking guidance for EV exports to stabilize supply chains: analyst
