China, Russia Urge Restraint After India’s Pakistan Strikes; Iran, Saudi Diplomats Head to Delhi
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China expressed “regret” over India’s pre-dawn strikes on Pakistani targets carried out under ‘Operation Sindoor’ on 7 May, saying the action was “regrettable” and urging New Delhi and Islamabad to remain calm, exercise restraint and avoid steps that could worsen the situation. Foreign-ministry spokesman Lin Jian added that Beijing opposes all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community to ease tensions between its two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Moscow issued a parallel warning, with Foreign-Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stating that Russia is “deeply concerned about the escalation of military confrontation” between India and Pakistan and calling on both sides to show restraint to prevent further deterioration in South Asia.
Diplomatic shuttle activity intensified in New Delhi. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived for a two-day visit, meeting his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, President Droupadi Murmu and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Araghchi repeated Tehran’s call for de-escalation and, after the 20th Iran-India Joint Commission, signed memoranda covering pharmaceutical product standards and customs cooperation.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir also paid an unannounced call on Jaishankar, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telephoned Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to convey solidarity and back efforts to lower tensions.
The wave of statements and visits follows the 6 May terror attack near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blames for triggering its subsequent missile barrage. Although no new hostilities have been reported since the strikes, both militaries remain on heightened alert as external actors push for dialogue.
