Iran's sovereignty, security, territorial integrity should be respected: foreign ministry

Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday in response to a media query about military strikes against Iran launched by the United States and Israel.

"China is highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the United States and Israel," the spokesperson said, noting that China calls for an immediate stop of the military actions.

"China calls for an immediate stop of the military actions, no further escalation of the tense situation, resumption of dialogue and negotiation, and efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle East," the spokesperson said.

The U.S. and Israel on Saturday launched what U.S. President Donald Trump called "major combat operations" against Iran, plunging the war-torn Middle East into a new round of violent conflicts.