China’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged all parties to cease military actions after former US President Donald Trump threatened a “2 to 3 week” campaign of “fierce” strikes against Iran, a move that threatens to escalate a conflict that has already pushed oil prices up 59 percent.
“Military means are no solution, and escalating the conflict is not in any party’s interest,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. “We once again urge the parties concerned to immediately cease military actions, start a peace-talks process as soon as possible, and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation.”
The warning comes as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its fifth week, with Brent crude holding above $130 a barrel. Trump’s latest threats, posted on social media, specifically targeted Iran’s “Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!).” The destruction of such infrastructure, which is indispensable to Iran's 90 million people, would almost certainly constitute a war crime under the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.
Beijing’s intervention highlights the growing international alarm over the potential for a wider regional war to derail the global economy. A direct US attack on Iran's energy infrastructure could remove millions of barrels of oil from the market, risking a price spike to $200 a barrel and triggering a severe inflationary shock to a world economy already grappling with geopolitical instability.
Trump Vows ‘Obliteration’ as US Troops Deploy
The rhetoric from Washington has grown increasingly severe. Trump’s Monday post on his Truth Social platform promised the “obliteration” of key Iranian infrastructure if a deal is not reached. This follows a pattern of escalating threats, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissing “stupid rules of engagement” in favor of “overwhelming violence.” The threats are being backed by military force, with thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division and two Marine Expeditionary Units arriving in the region. The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for "weeks" of ground operations and has drawn up plans for 10,000 additional troops.
Legal experts have condemned the president's proposal. Robert Goldman, a law professor at American University, told the New York Times that such an attack would be a "flagrant violation of the laws of armed conflict," calling it "wanton destruction that would bring about clear and foreseeable catastrophic effects on the civilian population."
Diplomatic Channels Fray Amid Contradictions
While threatening military action, the White House has also sent conflicting signals about diplomacy. Trump claimed “serious discussions” were underway with a “more reasonable” Iranian regime, an assertion White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has denied any direct negotiations, calling the US administration's claims unrealistic.
The diplomatic uncertainty is compounding economic pain for regional US allies. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi on Monday publicly pleaded with Trump to stop the war, citing the severe impact of rising energy and food prices on fragile economies. Egypt and Jordan have both been forced to implement energy-saving measures as the conflict disrupts supplies and triples import costs. The war has already claimed the lives of at least 1,443 civilians in Iran and displaced up to 3.2 million people, according to human rights groups.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
