Western diplomats have increased pressure on China to prevent Iran from escalating tensions in the Middle East by retaliating directly against Israel.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken spoke earlier this week with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia amid growing fears of retaliation by Tehran against Israel.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Thursday that Blanken told foreign ministers to “make it clear that escalation is not in anyone’s interest, and countries should urge Iran not to escalate.”

“We have also spoken with European allies and partners over the past few days and urged them to send a clear message to Iran that escalating tensions is not in Iran’s interest, it is not in the region’s interest. is, and it is not in the interest of the world.”

Germany, whose Chancellor Olaf Schulz is visiting China next week, is also in contact with Beijing over Iran, where China has influence, Reuters reported on Friday, citing German officials.

US and European officials have walked a fine line with China, denouncing the country as a trade threat and urging it to use its considerable diplomatic influence with countries isolated by Western sanctions.

Beijing is an important trading partner of Russia and Iran as one of the final recipients of their oil exports. All three countries are also members of the BRICS alliance of emerging markets led by China.

Israel’s war against the Tehran-backed Palestinian organization Hamas began in October after a terrorist attack by the militant group. Israel has also been trading with factions in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, which it considers Iranian proxies.

Washington, Israel’s closest ally, has repeatedly warned Tehran against meddling in the Gaza conflict.

For its part, Tehran insists it does not direct the militant groups’ actions, but has previously praised the October 7 Hamas terror attack.

Tensions rose earlier this month, when seven Iranian military advisers, including senior officials, were killed in a suspected Israeli attack on Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on April 1. Israel did not claim responsibility for the incident.

On Wednesday, Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Israel “must be punished and will be punished” for the Damascus massacre.

“Consulates and embassies of any country are considered the territory of that country. When they attack our consulate, it means they have attacked our territory,” he said. news/85440677/Supreme-Leader-Zionist-regime-will-be-punished-for-its-attack” target=”_blank”>According to Iran’s official Islamic Republic news Agency.

In appearance ReplyIsraeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that day: “If Iran attacks from its territory – Israel will react and attack in Iran,” according to Google Translate.

The foreign ministers of Britain and Australia urged Iran on Thursday not to deepen the conflict.

Britain’s David Cameron said that today I have made it clear to Foreign Minister (Hussein) Amir Abdullah that Iran should not drag the Middle East into a wider conflict. said on social media on Thursday. “I am deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation that leads to further violence.”

Australia’s Penny Wong also said she urged Iran to “use its influence in the region to promote stability.”

Amir Abdullahian noted that he had also spoken with German Foreign Minister Annalina Bierbach and responded to his three counterparts. On social media.

He said that when Israel violates international law and the Vienna Conventions and violates the immunity of diplomatic agents and premises and the UN Security Council by issuing a statement condemning the terrorist attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus. is unable Justifiable defense becomes a necessity with the object of punishing the aggressor.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statement.

Any direct attack by Iran on Israeli soil would likely exacerbate the international ramifications of the Gaza conflict, which has been fueled by high oil prices and trade disruptions due to Yemeni attacks in the Red Sea. is lying

The Israel Defense Forces, the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment on the possibility of such an offensive — prompting an Israeli response.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after his visit to Israel, “We have set a simple rule: We will hurt whoever hurts us. We will meet all of Israel’s security needs, both defensively and offensively.” ready to fulfill.” Tel Nof Air Base, news/event-visit110424″ target=”_blank”>According to comments released by his office on Thursday.

Washington has expressed its solidarity with Israel, although support appears to have waned after Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed seven humanitarian aid workers, which Israel later described as a “serious mistake”. .

US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Iran was “threatening a major and significant attack on Israel.”

“As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israeli security against these threats from Iran and its proxies remains ironclad,” he added.