Chinese diplomatic missions continue to assist evacuation of Chinese citizens from Iran's neighboring countries : spokeswoman

Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran's neighboring countries have sent working groups to assist the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Iran, Mao Ning, spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday.

In response to media questions regarding the evacuation of Chinese citizens from the country, Mao shared China's recent efforts.

"Apart from what was mentioned yesterday, we have not received any further information regarding additional information on casualties among Chinese citizens. Since the security situation in Iran became tense, more than 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran as of yesterday. We are also updating the latest data in a timely manner, and will release updated information in due course. Our embassies and consulates in Iran's neighboring countries have sent working groups to border ports, and we will continue to assist the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Iran," Mao said.

The United States and Israel on Saturday launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran, with the latter responding with a series of attacks on Israel and U.S. targets across the Middle East.

At Monday's press briefing, Mao confirmed the death of one Chinese national in Tehran.

Chinese diplomatic missions continue to assist evacuation of Chinese citizens from Iran's neighboring countries : spokeswoman

A group of demonstrators gathered in Bulgaria's capital Sofia on Monday to protest against U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The protesters rallied with signs reading "Do not engage war in Iran" and "We do not welcome U.S. military aircraft", to show solidarity with Iran.

"No one has the right to launch an attack on a sovereign country or interfere in its decisions," said Kostadin Kostadinov, chairman of the Bulgarian Revival party, while delivering a speech at the rally.

"The U.S. military equipment should not be brought to Bulgarian territory and the territory cannot be used in any form for military operation against Iran. We demand the U.S. military planes to immediately leave Bulgarian territory. This is not our war. The Iranian people are not our enemy. Iran is not our enemy," Petar Nikolaev Petrov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Revival party, said in his speech.

Several U.S. military planes have been deployed at Sofia Airport in recent days, though the Bulgarian government denied that they were linked to U.S. military operations.

The U.S. and Israel on Saturday launched strikes against Iran, plunging the war-torn Middle East into a new round of violence. Iran has retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region.

Protesters rally in Bulgaria against US-Israeli strikes on Iran