Countries in the Middle East are deeply concerned about the impact of Israeli-U.S. attacks on Iran, and they are calling for an immediate ceasefire, a Chinese special envoy said on Monday after concluding his visit to the region.
Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, told a news briefing that he visited several countries in the region including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt, and had in-depth exchanges of views with their foreign ministers and the secretaries general of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States on the regional situation.
Zhai said he had also had a thorough discussion with Iranian officials.
At the press conference, he briefed the media about the views held by the countries in the region on the ongoing conflict.
"First, countries in the region are deeply concerned about the impact of the war, calling for an immediate ceasefire. Second, countries in the region stress that non-military targets, especially livelihood and energy infrastructure, must not come under unwarranted attacks, and that the life and safety of ordinary people must be protected. Third, all sides oppose the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. All sides believe that the strait is vital to global energy security and supply chain stability. Its continued closure will bring unbearable consequences to all. Fourth, countries in the region recognize that Iran is a neighbor that cannot be moved away. They welcome the statement Iran once made that it would not attack neighboring countries, and call for resolving differences through dialogue and negotiation. Fifth, countries in the region highly commend China's just position on the current situation and its sustained diplomatic mediation since the conflict broke out. They expect China to play a bigger role in bringing about de-escalation," said Zhai.
"Once the Pandora's box of war is opened, it will cause endless harm. If the fighting continues, there will be no winner. And in the end, it will be the people of the countries in the region who suffer the most," he said.
Middle East countries deeply concerned about impact of war: Chinese special envoy
