China warns of escalation after Trump's threats toward Iran
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian (photo: Getty Images)
China responded to US President Donald Trump's threats to destroy Iran's power plants. Beijing warned of a "vicious cycle" and called the war illegal, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, as cited by The Guardian.
According to Lin Jian, "if the war expands further and the situation deteriorates again, the entire region could be plunged into an uncontrollable situation."
"The use of force will only lead to a vicious cycle," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
He added that the war, which the US and Israel are believed to have started illegally, should not have begun at all.
Background
Trump is threatening to destroy Iran's power sector if the Hormuz Strait is not unblocked within two days.
"If Iran doesn't fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first," he said.
In response, Tehran promises to plunge Gulf countries into darkness if the United States strikes Iranian power plants.
Iranian forces also threaten to attack desalination plants and US and Israeli information technology infrastructure.
Later, Iran made another statement regarding the Hormuz Strait.
Situation around the Hormuz Strait
Iranian forces have effectively blocked the Hormuz Strait and carried out a series of attacks on civilian vessels and energy infrastructure after US and Israeli strikes on their facilities.
This strait is one of the key routes of global oil trade: in 2025, about 13 million barrels per day passed through it, or approximately 31% of seaborne supplies.
Amid the effective blockade of the strait, global oil prices have surged sharply, which has already led to higher fuel prices.
