China Condemns Israeli Strike Killing Iran's Security Chief Ali Larijani as 'Unacceptable'

 

China has strongly condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani and other senior Iranian leaders in Israeli airstrikes, labelling the acts “unacceptable” and urging an immediate end to military operations to prevent the regional conflict from spiralling further out of control.

Speaking at a regular press briefing on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing “has always opposed the use of force in international relations.” He added: “The acts of killing Iranian state leaders and attacking civilian targets are even more unacceptable.

Lin expressed shock at Israel’s reported policy authorising its troops to “attack and kill any Iranian official without the need of approval,” describing the stance as deeply concerning.

Ali Larijani — a close confidant of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and widely seen as Iran’s de facto leader after Khamenei’s death at the outset of the war on February 28 — was killed in Israeli strikes near Tehran earlier this week. Other high-profile figures, including Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib and Basij Organisation commander Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani Farsani, were also reported killed in the same wave of US-Israeli operations. 

The assassinations mark the latest escalation in a conflict that has already claimed the lives of Iran’s top leadership and triggered Iranian retaliation, including missile strikes on Israeli targets.

China, a key economic partner of Iran, has stepped up diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis. Special envoy Zhai Jun has been touring Middle Eastern capitals this month, while Beijing has announced humanitarian assistance to Iran and affected countries in the region.

Lin reiterated China’s call: “China urges the parties concerned to immediately cease military operations and prevent the regional situation from spiralling out of control.” He noted that an early ceasefire is now a widely shared demand across the international community as the war continues to rage and spill over.

The statement comes as Iran has vowed a “decisive” response to the killings, raising fears of wider regional instability involving Gulf states and US military assets.

Analysts say China’s firm but measured response reflects its balancing act: maintaining strategic ties with Tehran while pushing for stability to protect its broader economic and diplomatic interests in the Middle East.