China’s Strong Reaction to Israel’s Airstrike: What Does It Mean for Middle East Stability?

China expressed deep shock and lodged a strong protest after Ali Larijani, Iran’s top security official and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Israeli fighter jets and personnel involved in the strike that killed Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. / Xinhua News Agency AI.

Lin Jian (林劍), a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a regular news briefing on March 19 that China has consistently opposed the use of force in international relations. Asked about Larijani’s death, he said killing a country’s leaders and attacking civilian targets is particularly unacceptable.

He warned the conflict is widening across the Middle East, with tensions rising and spilling into neighboring countries, and he stressed that an immediate cease-fire and halt to fighting is the international community’s shared hope.

Lin also urged the parties involved to stop military action immediately to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

According to Beijing diplomatic sources, earlier Israeli Defense Minister Katz said on March 17 (local time) that Larijani, regarded as Iran’s top security official, had been killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike. Iran, for its part, confirmed the report, saying Larijani and several aides and bodyguards were killed.