China has accused former US President Donald Trump of “pouring oil” on the growing tensions between Iran and Israel, following Trump’s urgent call for Tehran residents to “immediately evacuate.”
The accusation came on Tuesday amid escalating hostilities after Israel launched a surprise aerial assault last week targeting locations across Iran.
Israel stated the attacks aimed to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, an allegation Tehran denies.
The sudden conflict has raised fears of a broader war in the region.
Trump responded by urging Iran to return to negotiations after the Israeli strikes disrupted ongoing nuclear talks.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump also issued a striking warning:
“Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
When asked about Trump’s statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said:
“Fanning the flames, pouring oil, making threats and mounting pressure will not help to promote the de-escalation of the situation, but will only intensify and widen the conflict. The Chinese side calls on all relevant parties, especially countries with special influence on Israel, to shoulder their responsibilities, take immediate measures to de-escalate tensions, and prevent the conflict from expanding and spreading.”
Meanwhile, China’s embassy in Israel advised its citizens on Tuesday to leave the country “as soon as possible,” following the heavy strikes exchanged between Israel and Iran.
“The Chinese mission in Israel reminds Chinese nationals to leave the country as soon as possible via land border crossings, on the precondition that they can guarantee their personal safety,” the embassy said in a statement posted on WeChat. “It is recommended to depart in the direction of Jordan.”
The embassy also warned about the worsening situation:
“Much civilian infrastructure has been damaged, civilian casualties are on the rise, and the security situation is becoming more serious.”
