China Rebukes Trump on Iran, Spain, Italy Call for Return to Diplomacy

By Staff, Agencies

Beijing strongly condemned US President Donald Trump on Tuesday for intensifying "Israel's" war on Iran, accusing him of "pouring oil" on an already volatile situation.

The rebuke followed Trump’s widely criticized social media warning urging residents of Tehran to “immediately evacuate", a message that heightened global concerns of further "Israeli" strikes on Iranian civilians and infrastructure.

The "Israeli" occupation launched a sweeping aerial campaign across Iran last week, claiming to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, an accusation Iran denies.

The "Israeli"-provoked war has derailed ongoing nuclear talks and drawn warnings from multiple global powers, including China.

Responding to Trump's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “Fanning the flames, pouring oil, making threats, and mounting pressure will not help to promote the de-escalation of the situation, but will only intensify and widen the conflict.”

Guo urged all parties, especially those with “special influence on 'Israel',” to take immediate and responsible actions to curb the expansion of the war.

While not naming Washington directly, the statement clearly called on the United States to moderate its rhetoric and play a constructive diplomatic role.

China reiterated its commitment to regional stability and denounced any move that would risk wider confrontation in the Middle East.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Tuesday called for a European Union-wide arms embargo on “Israel” for the duration of its war on Gaza and urged the revival of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Albares noted that the European Union is “the largest trade partner of 'Israel' in the world,” adding, “We must impose, for our European partners, an arms embargo—not to sell weapons to 'Israel' as long as this war continues.”

He called on the EU to show the same determination it displayed following the commencement of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, as part of efforts to restore stability in the region.

Albares also expressed concern over the continued escalation between “Israel” and Iran, stressing the need to return to diplomatic engagement with Tehran over its nuclear program.

On her part, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during a meeting with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, expressed support for reviving diplomatic talks with Iran, according to a statement released Tuesday by her office. 

She also pointed to the urgent priority of securing a ceasefire in Gaza, describing it as essential, given the current circumstances.