China Welcomes US-Iran Deal Despite Israel Striking
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- China's Foreign Ministry said on June 18 it "welcomes" the US-Iran deal signed June 17, urging both sides to "meet each other halfway" in the next round of talks and uphold their commitments.
- Trump and his Iranian counterpart signed the agreement on June 17, with a formal ceremony set for June 19 in Switzerland to mark the start of a 60-day negotiation period covering all fronts including Lebanon.
- Spokesman Lin Jian also singled out Israel, urging it to "conform to the overall situation of regional peace and stability" and "do more things that are conducive to the implementation" of the deal's first phase.
- Israeli strikes on south Lebanon killed at least five people since the deal was announced, with additional raids reported on June 17, testing the ceasefire commitment on the Lebanese front.
- Lebanon was drawn into the conflict when Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, prompting massive Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion whose troops still occupy border territory.
- The agreement calls for a halt to fighting "on all fronts, including in Lebanon," making the continued Israeli operations there the most immediate test of whether the 60-day framework holds.
Why it matters: China's endorsement gives diplomatic cover to a US-brokered Iran deal it didn't architect, but its separate demand that Israel halt strikes exposes the deal's fragile front — Israeli operations that have killed at least five people in Lebanon since the announcement could undermine the 60-day negotiation window before it produces a second-phase agreement.
