UNITED NATIONS: China has voiced deep concern over the worsening situation surrounding Yemen’s Sanaa International Airport, urging all parties to avoid actions that could further escalate the conflict.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the Middle East, Sun Lei, charge d’affaires of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, called for calm and restraint as tensions continue to rise.
“We have always maintained that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all countries in the Middle East and the Gulf region, including Yemen, should be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, and that civilians, humanitarian workers, and civilian objects should be protected,” he said.
Earlier, UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari informed the Security Council that, according to reports, an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation was redirected to Hodeidah airport, which is under Houthi control, after airstrikes targeted Sanaa International Airport. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the strikes and declared the “end of the de-escalation phase” with Riyadh.
Sun noted that developments in Yemen are closely tied to the broader security situation in the Middle East, where tensions have intensified in recent weeks. He warned that the ceasefire arrangement between the United States and Iran is facing increasing pressure and stressed that renewed fighting would benefit no one.
“The United States and Iran should faithfully implement the memorandum of understanding they have signed, refrain from making threatening statements or resorting to the use of force, and bring to an early end the hostilities and conflict that should never have occurred,” he said.
He also urged all stakeholders involved in Yemen to avoid steps that could worsen the crisis or erode mutual trust, emphasizing the need to prevent further conflict.
China further called on Washington and Tehran to resume follow-up negotiations without delay and work toward a comprehensive agreement that is acceptable to both countries, supported by regional states, and welcomed by the international community, Sun said.
He added that restoring safe and unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible is in the interest of all parties and stressed the importance of addressing concerns related to maritime security through appropriate solutions.
Concluding his remarks, Sun said countries across the Middle East and the Gulf should strengthen cooperation instead of confrontation, resolve longstanding disputes through reconciliation, and work toward building a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable regional security framework to achieve lasting peace.
