File photo of China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
| Photo Credit: PTI
China said on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) it will provide humanitarian assistance to West Asia countries, including Iran and Lebanon, targeted in U.S. and Israeli strikes in the conflict now in its third week.
Beijing is a close partner of Iran and has urged the United States and Israel to cease their attacks on the country, while also criticising Tehran’s strikes against Gulf states housing U.S. military bases.
Iran-Israel war LIVE updates
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the war had caused “grave humanitarian catastrophes” in Iran and other West Asia nations.
“China has decided to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. It is hoped this will help alleviate the humanitarian plight faced by the local populations,” Mr. Lin told a press conference, without providing further details.
“China will continue to make every effort to promote peace and stop the war… and to prevent further spreading of the humanitarian crisis,” he added.
China has sought to mediate in the war, with its special envoy to the Middle East, Zhai Jun, urging de-escalation when he recently met Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister for talks.
China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, has also said that the war “should never have happened” and called for an end to fighting.
The humanitarian aid announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would delay a planned visit to Beijing.
Mr. Trump, who postponed his planned visit to Beijing due to the war, according to the White House, has also pressured China to help Washington reopen th Strait of Hormuz.
The vital sea passage, through which a fifth of global oil supplies normally pass, was effectively closed by Iran in retaliation to US and Israeli strikes.
Published – March 17, 2026 02:22 pm IST
