Israel appeals to China for help tackling Iran’s nuclear threat
Israel is lobbying China for help in dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme as it seeks to capitalise on Beijing’s new role as a diplomatic power broker in the Middle East.
Eli Cohen, the Israeli foreign minister, this week asked his Chinese counterpart to use the country’s “influence” on Tehran to stop it acquiring nuclear weapons, as fears grow that the regime is on the brink of enriching enough uranium for a bomb.
The appeal comes as China emerges as a new diplomatic player in the region, having secured a major thaw in tensions between arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran in March.
The Beijing-brokered deal led to Riyadh and Tehran reopening their embassies and resuming flights, and also raised hopes that it might bolster efforts to restore peace in Yemen, where the two countries back opposing sides.
But Israel appears to be hopeful that China’s initial successes could be extended to resolving the nuclear crisis, which could soon escalate into a direct military conflict between Israel and Tehran.
Israel has repeatedly threatened to launch strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear programme, which it regards as an existential threat, unless an urgent diplomatic solution can be found.
It is already suspected of carrying out a number of covert attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, as well as assassinating the programme’s chief scientist.
Dangers of Iranian programme
The UN atomic agency’s revelation in February that Iran is enriching uranium at levels of 84 per cent, just short of the threshold for acquiring a nuclear weapon, has intensified the crisis.
“I spoke with the Chinese foreign minister, Qin Gang, about the danger we see in the Iranian nuclear programme – a danger that is shared by many countries in the region, including countries that have diplomatic relations with Iran,” Mr Cohen said in a statement after their phone call this week.
“The international community must act immediately to prevent the Ayatollah regime in Tehran from obtaining nuclear capabilities.”
The UN atomic agency’s revelation in February that Iran is enriching uranium at levels of 84 per cent, just short of the threshold for acquiring a nuclear weapon, has intensified the crisis – Iranian Army© Provided by The Telegraph
It was unclear this week whether China had responded positively to that proposal.
A statement from the Chinese foreign ministry about the phone call only alluded to how Israel “closely follows the Iranian nuclear issue and expects China to play a positive role”.
But it added that the foreign minister had stressed to Mr Cohen in their call that the Iranian-Saudi thaw in relations was a “fine example of resolving differences through dialogue”.
The Chinese account of the phone call focused much more on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with China offering to renew peace talks and “implement a two-state solution”.
