China breaks silence on mega Iran-US escalation with a message for all concerned parties

Amid the mega escalation between the United States of America and Iran, the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday issued a statement and stated that Beijing would ‘responsibly’ contribute to defusing the tension and also urged ‘restraint from all sides’. 

China’s appeal to both countries comes after Iran launched missiles at Iraqi bases housing US and British troops on Wednesday morning.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang in his statement during a regular press briefing said, "It is not in the interest of any party that the situation in the Middle East worsens further." 

READ | Iran fires multiple rockets on US airbase in Iraq, calls it Tehran’s revenge for Soleimani

Iran fires multiple rockets targeting US forces in Iraq

Earlier on January 8, the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq that houses the US and coalition forces was hit by multiple rockets. The news of the incident was broken by Iranian state TV, which described the attack as Tehran’s revenge operation over the killing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gen. Qassem Soleimani. 

The White House press secretary also confirmed the attack and stated that the US President Donald Trump “has been briefed and is monitoring the situation” in Iraq. 

READ | 'Reckless and dangerous': Britain condemns Iranian missile attacks in Iraq

US-Iran tensions

The longstanding tension between Iran and the US surfaced again as the Iranian General was slain by the US in an airstrike near Iraq's Baghdad International Airport, ordered by US President Donald Trump on Friday. Post this, Iran had threatened "harsh retaliation" and subsequently, two airstrikes were reported near US Embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone on Saturday and Sunday.  

Following the developments on Wednesday, Trump informed about everything being 'well' and stated that he will be addressing the media on Wednesday. This came even as Iran claimed that 80 US soldiers had been killed in Iraq.

READ | Airlines skirt Iran & Iraq airspace after missile strike on US forces; advisories issued

READ | A timeline of the main events leading up to the US-Iran confrontation