ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday condemned "non-discriminatory" attacks against civilians and expressed disapproval of strikes targeting the Gulf region.

Beijing "does not agree with attacks against countries in the Gulf region and condemns non-discriminatory attacks against civilians or non-military targets," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said during a regular news conference in Beijing.

"The pressing priority now is to stop military operations at once and prevent the conflict from spreading. The way out of the conflict is to return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible and strive for restoration of peace," Guo said.

He urged a return to "abiding by" international law and called the US and Israel attacking Iran "in the process" of negotiations a "clear violation" of international law.

Sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of countries "should be respected," Guo added.

In a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi last week, Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi said Beijing believes that under the current grave and complex situation, Iran will maintain national and social stability while taking seriously the legitimate concerns of neighboring countries.

Regional escalation has flared since Feb. 28 when Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran, killing more than 1,200 people and injuring another 10,000. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that host US military assets.