China Meets with Iran and Saudi Arabia Amid Israel Crisis

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Iran’s First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gathering in Kyrgyzstan on October 26, 2023. Image via Xinhua.

Chinese delegates recently spoke with key allies to discuss the spiraling crisis in the Middle East. Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhberon on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kyrgyzstan on Thursday. It was the first meeting since the fighting in Israel broke out.

China’s ties with Iran sparked speculation that Beijing might help to keep the conflict from spilling wider. Iran is a supporter of both Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It has denied involvement in the October 7 Hamas attacks that sparked the current war.

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by Han Zhen

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