Wang: Israeli strikes on Iran lacked legitimacy

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday that preemptive strikes against Iran lacked legitimacy, emphasizing that recent military clashes between Israel and Iran must not be repeated.?

Wang made these comments during a joint news conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris.

When asked about China's stance on the Iranian nuclear issue and the current situation in the Middle East, Wang said the Iranian nuclear issue could have been a model for resolving international disputes through dialogue and consultation, but it is now triggering a new round of crisis in the Middle East.

Although the world has heard the knock on the door of peace, it has ultimately failed to open the door to peace, he said while expressing China's deep regret on this and called for reflections upon the lessons.

War cannot resolve the Iranian nuclear issue and the abuse of force would only escalate conflicts and deepen hatred, he said.

The United States' reckless bombing of a sovereign state's nuclear facilities set a dangerous precedent, Wang said.

Should a nuclear disaster occur, the entire world would bear the consequences, he added.

Wang emphasized that the idea that "peace comes only after strength" is a logic of power politics.

"If right and wrong are judged solely by strength, where do rules and justice stand? True peace cannot be achieved through strength alone — it risks opening Pandora's box," Wang said.

Noting that China's position on the Iranian nuclear issue is clear and consistent, Wang said China values the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's repeated public commitments against developing nuclear weapons, while also respecting Iran's rights as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to peaceful nuclear energy use.

On this basis, relevant parties could accelerate negotiations on a new international agreement to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue, ensuring Iran's nuclear activities remain under the strict supervision and safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Wang added.

Wang stressed that a genuine resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue cannot evade the core problem of the Middle East, namely the Palestinian question.

The two-state solution remains the only viable path to break the cycle of regional turmoil, and the international community must take more concrete and effective actions toward this goal, he said.

As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Wang said China and France should uphold fairness, support conflict resolution through dialogue and negotiation, oppose double standards, adding that Beijing is willing to work with Paris toward this end.

The UN and Security Council should fulfill their roles in maintaining peace, he added.