- China calls for immediate halt to fighting
Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister has said that attacks carried out by the US and Israel against Iran violate international law, becoming one of the latest European leaders to raise concerns over the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Pfister told international media that the Swiss Federal Council considers the strikes to be unlawful under international law. “The Federal Council is of the opinion that the attack on Iran constitutes a violation of international law,” he said, adding that the strikes breach the international prohibition on the use of force.
He added that the view applied to all countries that had failed to comply with the prohibition on violence, including the US, Israel and Iran. “The Americans and Israel have attacked Iran from the air. In doing so, they, like Iran, violated international law,” he said, and urged all sides to halt hostilities to protect civilians.
German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil also expressed doubts about the legality of the war, telling the media that he had “serious doubts that this war is legitimate under international law,” while stressing that Germany would not take part in the conflict.
China has also called for an immediate end to the fighting. Speaking during a press conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the conflict “should never have happened” and warned that continued military action would only deepen instability in the region. “This is a war that should never have happened – and it is a war that benefits no party,” Wang said, urging an immediate halt to military operations and warning against further escalation.