MOSCOW/BEIJING – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have issued a joint call for de-escalation in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, strongly condemning Israel’s recent actions and asserting that there is “no military solution” to the ongoing dispute, particularly concerning Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The unified stance emerged from a phone call between the two leaders on Thursday, notably following indications from their shared geopolitical rival, the United States, that it had not ruled out joining Israeli strikes on Iran.
During their conversation, President Xi reportedly urged “major powers” – a thinly veiled reference to Washington – to contribute to cooling the conflict. Russia, which maintains a strategic cooperation pact with Tehran, has consistently warned the U.S. against striking Iran, emphasizing the potential for dramatic regional destabilization and the risk of a nuclear disaster.
Following the call, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov informed reporters that both Putin and Xi “strongly condemn Israel’s actions, which violate the UN Charter and other norms of international law.” He further elaborated that the leaders “fundamentally believe that there is no military solution to the current situation and issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme,” stressing that a resolution “must be achieved exclusively through political and diplomatic means.”
Russia Offers Mediation, China Expresses Support
President Putin reiterated Russia’s offer to mediate in the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, an offer that has not yet been accepted by other parties. President Xi expressed his support for this initiative, believing it could “serve to de-escalate the current acute situation.”
Chinese state media accounts of the call underscored Xi’s call for all parties, “especially Israel,” to “cease hostilities as soon as possible to prevent a cyclical escalation and resolutely avoid the spillover of the war.” He added that “major countries” with “special influence” in the region should intensify their diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation.
G7 Friction and US Involvement Concerns
The leaders also reportedly discussed “rough edges” observed among Western leaders at the recent G7 conference in Canada. The summit concluded without a joint statement in support of Ukraine, a departure from recent years. This comes as President Donald Trump, who made comments supportive of Russia at the summit, left a day early and subsequently made bellicose statements about Iran, fueling concerns of more direct US involvement in the conflict.
Deepening Russia-Iran Ties
The joint condemnation from Moscow and Beijing comes against the backdrop of their deepening strategic ties with Iran. In January, Moscow and Tehran signed a long-delayed strategic cooperation agreement, reinforcing their alliance, which shares a common anti-US stance. While Russia has not yet supplied Iran with weaponry, it has actively assisted with Iran’s civilian nuclear program.
On Thursday, President Putin confirmed at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum that over 200 Russian personnel continue to work at Iran’s Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant, and an agreement has been reached with Israel regarding their safety.
President Xi had previously voiced his concern over Israel’s military operations against Iran at a summit in Kazakhstan earlier this week. Both leaders have agreed to maintain close contact as the crisis unfolds and are expected to meet again in China in late August at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting.
