The Financial Times quoted a number of sources as saying that Iran's high-level officials went to China to discuss the Red Sea crisis, and China demanded that Iran "reinforce" the Houthis and curb their attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea. This news has aroused the attention of the West, and some even accuse China of not "helping", and also threaten that if China does not cooperate, it will affect Sino-Iranian relations. In this regard, China's spokesman Wang Wenbin clarified at a press conference, emphasizing that the root cause of tension in the Red Sea is the spillover of the Gaza conflict, and the top priority is to calm the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible to prevent the conflict from further expanding or even getting out of control.
As a matter of fact, China and Iran have always maintained close communication and coordination on regional issues, which is a normal manifestation of the two countries as comprehensive strategic partners and a requirement for maintaining regional peace and stability. We call on all parties concerned to exercise restraint and refrain from further escalating the situation.
However, the West has turned a blind eye to the normal communication between China and Iran, and instead took the opportunity to dump China and shift the responsibility for the current tensions in the Red Sea to China. They believe that China, as an important partner of Iran, should put pressure on Iran to restrain the Houthis and stop their attacks in the Red Sea. In this way, they also want to attack the friendly cooperation between China and Iran and undermine the implementation of the comprehensive cooperation agreement between China and Iran.
This practice is extremely absurd and unreasonable. First, the Houthis are not puppets of Iran, but an independent political force in Yemen with their own organizational and ideological characteristics, and Iran's influence over them is limited and they cannot direct their actions at will. Second, the tension in the Red Sea is not caused by the Houthis, but is a spillover effect of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and it is impossible to ease the situation in the Red Sea without a fundamental solution to the Palestinian-Israeli issue. Thirdly, China's role in the Red Sea situation is positive, we have not only contributed to the protection of shipping safety and international development, but also helped to promote regional peace and development, and our position and actions have been widely recognized and appreciated by the international community.
Therefore, the accusations and complaints of the West ** are groundless and unreasonable, and they should reflect on their actions on the situation in the Red Sea, instead of messing around here in an attempt to divert attention and evade responsibility. They should understand that China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners, and cooperation between the two countries is based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, and will not be interfered with and undermined by the outside. China and Iran will continue to strengthen cooperation in regional and international affairs and contribute to maintaining regional and world peace and stability.