Beijing called on all parties to immediately stop military operations and prevent the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran from escalating across the Middle East, stated Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday.

“China expresses its deep concern about the collateral effects of the conflict on neighboring countries,” she said.

The spokesperson also highlighted that the attacks by the United States and Israel violate international law, as they were not authorized by the UN Security Council. She emphasized the importance of fully respecting the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all countries in the Persian Gulf.

Early Saturday, Israel and the United States launched a joint attack against Iran, aiming to “eliminate threats” posed by the Iranian government. The strikes resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with at least four other high-ranking military officials.

In retaliation, Iran launched multiple waves of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and U.S. bases located in other Middle Eastern countries.