Nuclear and humanitarian concerns alarming: China Daily editorial

Safeguarding nuclear security and addressing global humanitarian crises have long been rhetorical talking points championed by Washington and Tel Aviv on the international stage. Yet these appeals have largely amounted to empty political posturing, designed chiefly to shift blame onto other parties.

Laying bare this hypocrisy are the catastrophic consequences of the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran that were launched on the weekend. The two issues they have pressured the world to address have been severely exacerbated by their actions. Iran's nuclear facilities have been targeted, and civilian sites — including a girls' elementary school in Iran's southern province of Hormozgan — have been bombed. These developments demand the close vigilance of the entire international community, for they may well be only a prelude to further tragedies across the region.

This dangerous trajectory underscores the pertinence of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's latest appeal for an immediate ceasefire, delivered during his telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart on Tuesday. In his phone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Wang reiterated China's opposition to the US-Israeli military strikes against Iran, saying force cannot truly solve problems and, instead, it will only bring new problems and severe aftereffects.

His call for an immediate halt to military operations to prevent the conflict from further spreading and spiraling out of control should be heeded by all parties involved, especially given that the world now stands on the brink of a nuclear crisis and faces a growing humanitarian tragedy.

It is imperative that all parties involved cease hostilities immediately and return to the negotiating table because the stakes are too high and the consequences too dire. On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that the widening conflict in the region raises the risk that nuclear proliferation issues could spin out of control.

As International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi has emphasized, the attack on the Natanz nuclear facility in Isfahan Province on the weekend has severely compromised nuclear safety and security. Further attacks would likely be disastrous.

And if the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Bushehr Province is attacked by the US and Israel, it could result in a core meltdown, similar to the Chernobyl disaster, causing nuclear pollution across the Persian Gulf.

The humanitarian impact of the conflict has rapidly expanded beyond Iran's borders, affecting neighboring countries, with civilian casualties reported across the region. In Lebanon, around 30,000 people have been displaced as Israeli air strikes target Hezbollah strongholds, exacerbating an already dire refugee crisis. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has highlighted the severe disruption to humanitarian operations, as restricted airspace and insecurity hinder the delivery of essential aid.

In addition, the conflict has devastated cultural heritage, with the Golestan Palace in Tehran damaged during an air strike on Monday, highlighting the threat to UNESCO World Heritage sites and the urgent need for adherence to international laws to protect these irreplaceable treasures.

China, alongside some other countries, has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomatic negotiations, which are in line with all parties' interests.

The alternative — a prolonged conflict with escalating humanitarian and nuclear risks — is untenable. The world cannot afford to descend into a cycle of retaliation and destruction.

Thus, the urgent need for peace in the Middle East cannot be overstated. The humanitarian crisis and nuclear safety risks demand immediate action from all parties involved. The international community must rally behind efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue.