Rationale behind China's Iran stance

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China opposes the world's return to the "law of the jungle," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Thursday.

Amid unrest in Iran, Thursday's conversation exemplifies China's stance – firmly adhering to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. China's message is clear: Dialogue, rather than the use or threat of force, must prevail to safeguard sovereignty.

"All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations," reads Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. Adherence to these principles ensures that no state succumbs to external interference, preserving the sovereign equality enshrined in the Charter.

This resonates deeply with China's foreign policy, particularly in the context of Iran's ongoing situation where reports of internal unrest and external pressures test the resilience of a sovereign state.

In Thursday's talk, Araghchi stressed that the recent turmoil was incited by external forces, noting Iran is prepared to respond to external interference while keeping the door to dialogue open. In this context, resisting hegemonic interference is vital in ensuring regional peace and stability.

Previously, the U.S. has, on several occasions, threatened to strike Iran to show its "solidarity" with Iranian protesters. True, U.S. President Donald Trump has held off his rhetoric, but this has not ruled out the possibility of a future attack on Tehran, which even American allies warned could lead to major disaster. The Pentagon, as U.S. cable news network NewsNation reported this week, has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group to sail towards the Middle East.

Whether a strike will be launched, Washington's threat itself is blatant interference in another country's internal affairs. The harms of U.S. interventions in the Middle East, from Iraq to Libya and Syria, serve as stark reminders that underscore the wisdom of China's call for UN Charter adherence amid Iran's challenges.

These interventions – under pretexts of democracy promotion or counterterrorism – have repeatedly breached sovereignty, killed hundreds of thousands, spawned terrorist groups, destabilized the entire region, and triggered refugee crises still plaguing Europe and beyond. Washington's meddling, this time, into Iran's domestic affairs, risks repeating this destructive cycle, eroding the sovereign equality the Charter protects. This is why Wang urged for adherence to the UN Charter and international law during Thursday's phone conversation.

More ironically, the protests unfolding in Iran are, in essence, a result of the U.S.' intervention. Washington's sanctions and military encirclement over the past decades have fueled Iran's insecurity. Its withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018 has further destroyed diplomatic pathways that could have reduced tensions.

The UN Charter, as China champions, ensures states like Iran resolve crises internally, without the devastation of foreign "liberation." Washington's record and the world's dangerous return to the "law of the jungle" prove otherwise: Short-term gains yield long-term quagmires.

In an era of geopolitical flux, China's adherence to UN norms positions it as a responsible major power on the international arena. The Iranian government, as China believes, will stand united, overcome difficulties, maintain national stability and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. In the meantime, as Wang noted on Thursday, China stands ready to play a constructive role in regional peace and stability.

China's stance operationalizes the UN Charter: Oppose force, affirm rights, and promote dialogue, ensuring Iran's survival bolsters a multipolar world where no state bows to external pressure.

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