China is against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons but does not support using sanctions to stop the country from pursuing nuclear development, Chinese Ambassador to Israel Xiao Junzheng said. Speaking last week on the ILTV News Podcast, the ambassador stated: “China objects to the Iranians having or developing nuclear bombs…. Of course, on the other hand, as a member of the international community, it is the Iranian right to have peaceful use of nuclear energy.” Junzheng emphasized that China opposes “isolating Iran” or placing sanctions on it, saying such measures only increase the risk of Iran behaving “irrationally or irresponsibly.” “The best way to prevent civilian casualties is not sanctions, but to push for de-escalation of tensions and the return to the track of political dialog and diplomatic solutions as soon as possible,” he said. “Iran's integration into the region will ultimately benefit Israel.” Watch previous ILTV News Podcasts: Would You Feel Safe Here if You Were Jewish? Is Israel Too Dependent on Christian Support? ‘Qatar Is More Dangerous Than Iran’ The ambassador expressed support for recent U.S.-Iran nuclear talks but criticized the United States for pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He said America now needs to “show political sincerity, act in the spirit of mutual respect, engage in dialog and consultation and stop the threat of using force and maximum pressure.” When asked whether China would sell advanced military weapons to Iran—a country it refers to as a “strategic partner”—the ambassador responded: “No, I don’t think so.” However, he said China is comfortable conducting trade and business with Iran. These are “normal, state-to-state relations in line with international law and the UN Charter,” Junzheng explained. Some analysts have warned that conflict with Iran could draw in China and Russia. In April, Pepe Escobar, editor-at-large at Asia Times, wrote in The Cradle that “although perhaps not yet obvious to Washington, a U.S. war on Iran will be viewed as one against Russia and China too.” But Junzheng dismissed such speculation. He said that non-alignment is a core tenet of Chinese diplomacy and is written into the Chinese constitution. “If there is speculation about a China-Russia-Iran alliance posing a threat to Israeli security, this is absurd,” he said. Asked about the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the ambassador called it “inhumane, unforgivable and also outrageous.” “China opposes and condemns what Hamas did on the seventh of October,” Junzheng said. Still, he insisted that a two-state solution is the only way to end the cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. “We sincerely hope that Israel and the Palestinians will coexist in peace and the Jewish people and the Arabic people will live in harmony,” he said. Junzheng also addressed the new U.S. tariff policy, which includes a 10% blanket tariff on all countries and reciprocal tariffs on 60 countries with large trade imbalances. “This is an act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying,” the ambassador stressed. “It will only lead to a lose-lose situation and harm economic and financial stability.” The U.S. has accused China of manipulating markets, stealing intellectual property, and enabling forced labor to drive down prices. Junzheng denied these claims, saying China “will not admit any wrongdoing.” “China's development is not built on benevolence, but on pragmatic dedication,” he said. “So, disinformation can never distort facts or conceal China's great efforts… China built the most complete industrial system. Now, the U.S. complains that it was taken advantage of by China and has been in an unfavorable position for 80 years, and taking this as an excuse to launch a tariff war. But such complaints are purely groundless.” Junzheng added that China does not plan to initiate negotiations with the U.S. but is open to talks. “If America wants to talk, our doors are open,” he said. “If you studied any level of Chinese history, you'll see that through the last 5,000 years of Chinese history, arrogance, coercion and bullying does not work in China. If the United States sincerely wishes to resolve the issues, it must completely remove all the unilateral tariffs on China.”