ISTANBUL

China on Tuesday said it has decided to offer emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq amid the ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East, as the US and Israel have continued joint attacks on Tehran since Feb. 28.

Beijing “stays committed to the vision of building a shared community of humanity and humanitarian spirit,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in the Chinese capital.

“The ongoing conflict inflicted an excruciating humanitarian disaster on the people of countries in the region, including in Iran. China deeply sympathizes with the people in the relevant countries, and our hearts go out to them,” said Lin.

“China decided to offer emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq in the hope of easing the humanitarian difficulties facing the people,” Lin added.

Last week, Beijing said the Red Cross Society of China will provide $200,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance to the Iranian Red Crescent to “comfort” the bereaved families of over 165 schoolgirls who were killed in an airstrike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in the southern Iranian city of Minab on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel began their joint attacks.

Lin said China “will continue to do its best to urge peace, work for early restoration of regional peace and stability, and prevent the humanitarian crisis from further spreading.”

Hostilities in the region have escalated since Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran, so far killing some 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.