Iran nuclear issue: Use of force is the wrong answer

Editor's note: Huang Yinan, a special commentator for CGTN, is a Beijing-based analyst of political and international relations. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes lays bare Washington's goal of completely neutralizing Iran and guarantees an inevitable escalation of war. This strike against a sovereign national leader is part of a broader campaign aimed at regime change.

For Iran, such an attack leaves no room for compromise, as it faces a moral and national duty to avenge its leader. With the central command structure eliminated, Iranian military and resistance forces across the country are set to launch fierce, autonomous retaliatory actions without waiting for formal orders. What began as a targeted decapitation strike has thus triggered an uncontrollable chain reaction, pushing the region toward full-scale and irreversible conflict.

The use of military force cannot resolve the Iranian nuclear issue; it will only fuel new conflicts and deepen instability across the Middle East. During a recent phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed a principled view: "The true value of military power lies not on the battlefield, but in preventing war."

China has long stood against the use or threat of force in international relations. The military strikes and assassination targeting Iran's leadership by the US and Israel, even as diplomatic negotiations were underway, violate the UN Charter and basic norms of state-to-state relations and are unacceptable. To pull the world back from the brink of war, an immediate halt to hostilities and an early return to dialogue and negotiation are essential. China remains committed to opposing unilateral moves and advancing a political settlement to the Iranian nuclear issue through peaceful means.

The resort to military force runs counter to the fundamental interests of all parties, including the US and Israel. As major global and regional players, they should recognize that arbitrary use of arms will only trigger a dangerous boomerang effect, undermining their own security instead of enhancing it.

As the world's most powerful nation, the US bears special responsibility for safeguarding international peace and stability. The wanton use of military force against a sovereign state is not a display of strength, but an act of weakness. True strength lies in upholding justice, abiding by international law, and resolving disputes through dialogue. For the sake of regional and global security, both sides should abandon the logic of coercion and force, and return to the path of political settlement.

Iranians have the inherent right to choose their own development path, social system and cultural traditions, free from external imposition. A system or value that differs from Western models does not make it illegitimate or wrong. Economic advancement, material wealth or military superiority in no way entitles any nation to judge or impose its will on others. To label a country as wrong simply because it pursues a different development model reflects a narrow and arrogant mindset, not rational judgment. Every nation's sovereignty and independent choice must be respected. The US should abandon its condescending attitude and ideological bias, respect Iran's right to independent development, and return to the basic norms of equality and mutual respect in international relations.

On March 2, Wang Yi spoke over the phone with French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot, laying out China's core stance on the Iran conflict. He stressed that the international community must reject violations of international law and double standard. Major powers should not arbitrarily attack other countries using military superiority, and the world must not return to the law of the jungle.

Wang Yi underlined that the Iranian nuclear issue can be settled only through political and diplomatic means. Amid rising regional tensions, this position underscores China's consistent support for sovereignty, peaceful settlement, and equitable international norms.

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