CHINESE Foreign Minister Wang Yi called today for peace and restraint from all parties involved in the unrest in Iran.

During a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, Mr Wang said China had always insisted that the United Nations Charter and international law must be upheld.‬

He made it clear that China opposed the use or threat of force in international relations, the imposition of one’s will on others and a return to the “law of the jungle.” 

‪Beijing hopes that all parties will cherish peace, exercise restraint and resolve differences through dialogue, the minister said, adding: “China is willing to play a constructive role in this process.”

Last night, the United Nations security council was due to hold an emergency session on the crisis in Iran at the request of the United States.

President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements on Wednesday that left unclear what US action, if any, would be taken against Iran.

In comments to reporters, he said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. 

Only a day earlier, Mr Trump had ramped up the rhetoric, telling protesters in Iran that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” in response to the Islamic republic’s deadly crackdown.

Mr Araghchi also sought to tone down the rhetoric, urging Washington to find a solution through negotiation.

Asked by Fox News what he would say to the US president, the Iranian foreign minister told Fox News that his message was: “Between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the US. But still diplomacy is much better than war.”

Iran’s repression of the protests has killed at least 2,615 people, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.