Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held a phone conversation with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on the situation in the Middle East.

The US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran without authorization from the United Nations while negotiations between Iran and the US were still ongoing, constituting a clear violation of international law, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He said the highest priority is to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible, adding that China appreciates the consistent calls from Gulf countries for dialogue and negotiation.

(With input from Xinhua)