Foreign Minister Wang Yi: China Supports Iran To Maintain Its National Sovereignty, Security And Dignity

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that China supports Iran in defending its sovereignty, national security and dignity while speaking with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani via Sunday's phone call, according to a statement by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the phone call, Foreign Minister Wang repeated Beijing's condemnation of the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, saying it had violated Iran's sovereignty and threatened regional stability.

Foreign Minister Wang told Ali Bagheri Kani that Haniyeh's murder had "directly undermined the negotiation process of the Gaza ceasefire and undermined regional peace and stability," China's Foreign Ministry said.

"China supports Iran in maintaining its sovereignty, security and national dignity in accordance with the law, in its efforts to maintain regional peace and stability, and is ready to maintain close communication with Iran," Foreign Minister Wang said.

Iran and Palestinian militant group Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the attack that killed Haniyeh after attending the inauguration of Iran's elected president Masoud Pezeshkian.

Tehran itself is known to have promised to "dicially punish" Israel for the killing.

Israel has yet to claim or deny responsibility for the killing, which has sparked fears of war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip turning into a broader Middle East war.