Beijing: China said Thursday that keeping the region 'safe and stable' is in everyone's interest following attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Keeping the region's energy trade and broader area 'safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said during a regular news conference in Beijing.

According to Anadolu Agency, China 'urges parties to stop the military operations at once, avoid further escalation and prevent the regional turmoil from having a larger impact on global economic growth,' Guo added. When questioned about whether Beijing was providing intelligence support to Iran, Guo stated 'China's position is consistently clear,' emphasizing the country's call for a halt to the military operations.

Regional tensions have escalated since Israel and the US launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28, resulting in over 1,200 casualties, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader, as well as more than 150 schoolgirls. Tehran responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

Iran has also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz around March 1. This strategic waterway typically manages about 20 million barrels of oil shipments daily and approximately 20% of the global liquefied natural gas trade. The closure has already led to an increase in oil prices.