China taking steps to ease Mideast tension

China has stepped up diplomatic efforts to rein in the conflict between Iran and Israel, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi holding phone conversations with his counterparts in Iran and Saudi Arabia, and pledging that Beijing will work to prevent the regional security environment from deteriorating.

The phone calls were made on Monday evening, a day after Iran launched drones and missiles targeting Israel, which Teheran said was in retaliation for an airstrike on April 1 that hit an Iranian diplomatic building in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

During the phone talks, Wang emphasized that the current escalation of tension in the Middle East is the latest spillover effect of the Gaza conflict, and the top priorities include immediately realizing an unconditional and lasting ceasefire, effectively protecting civilians and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian assistance.