Blinken urges China and others to curb Iran’s actions against Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been actively reaching out to international counterparts, urging them to discourage Iran from escalating military actions against Israel. Blinken communicated with China’s foreign minister, as well as officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Europe, stressing that an escalation would be against everyone’s interests and encouraging them to influence Iran to avoid further provocations.

In a separate conversation, Blinken reiterated America’s unwavering support to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, amidst threats from Iran. This follows a recent incident where an Israeli attack destroyed an Iranian diplomatic facility in Damascus, resulting in the death of seven Revolutionary Guard members, including two generals, on April 1.

The White House has also expressed its concerns, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirming that the U.S. has warned Iran against making threats towards Israel. President Joe Biden emphasized the “ironclad” nature of U.S. support for Israel, despite his critiques of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Amid these tensions, the U.S. has publicly called on China, a key global player and a nation perceived as a long-term rival, to exert more influence over the situation, especially given Iran’s backing of Hamas. Conversely, Beijing has accused the U.S. of being biased in favor of Israel.