China condemns Iran war and Hormuz closing in UN speech, tells Trump to end Cuba blockade

China used its Saturday speech at the UN General Assembly to push back at Washington over the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz, and Cuba. Vice President Han Zheng said Gulf countries must have their sovereignty and security respected.

Zheng further demanded that the “concerned country” stop threatening Cuba and end its sanctions and embargo.

Without mentioning the name of the country, the comments came at a time when the US government was implementing a policy which has significantly reduced the amount of oil available to Cuba. The war between the US and Israel against Iran started in February.

The tone was very different from the scene in Washington earlier in the week when Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House with military flyovers and a state dinner. Days later, Zheng told the UN that major powers carry extra responsibility for global peace.

“Major countries should have special responsibilities for safeguarding international peace and security, and they should take the lead in complying with the rules, upholding rule of law, and doing what’s right. China holds that the sovereignty and security of countries in the Middle East, including the Gulf, should be respected.”

China challenges US pressure on Iran as Trump warns Jinping over support for Tehran

During the Washington talks, Trump warned Jinping against helping Iran, according to the US ambassador to China. The ambassador said Friday that Jinping gave assurances that Beijing would not provide support.

The warning came after reports claimed Beijing had supplied Tehran with shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers. Other reports said Iran had found ways to get around sanctions on its oil exports with Chinese help.

The fight over Iran has also moved straight into the Strait of Hormuz dispute. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Sunday that diplomacy is the only route out of the conflict with the United States and Israel. His comments followed Trump’s statement that he had rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the waterway and stop the fighting.

“Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met,” Abbas wrote on social media. “Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock.”

Iran announced the proposal earlier in the week during the UN General Assembly in New York. Tehran said the plan had been passed to Washington through Qatari mediators. Trump told reporters Saturday that he had turned it down and said Iran was seeking an agreement because it was under growing pressure from the war.

“They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” Trump said at the White House.

Abbas said the diplomatic channel was not that clear. According to him, the mediators handling US-Iran contacts had not formally delivered a final American rejection. “We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them,” Abbas wrote.

China demands an end to Cuba restrictions as the island battles fuel shortages and grid failures

Zheng also turned directly to Cuba. “China urges the relevant country to immediately stop using threat of force against Cuba and immediately and completely lift the blockade and sanctions against Cuba,” he said.

Cuba’s electrical grid completely failed earlier this month, leaving millions of people without electricity. The island has dealt with fuel shortages and aging power equipment for years, but the oil blockade imposed by the United States in January has made the strain worse.

Blackouts have become more common, while the national network has repeatedly broken down as access to fuel tightened.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke inside the UN hall several hours after Zheng and took a similar position on Cuba.

Sergey called on Washington to end what he described as the “siege” of the island and remove limits on trade with the Caribbean country. He also said the United States should take Cuba off its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The US campaign has largely prevented oil shipments from reaching Cuba, adding another problem for a power sector already struggling with old plants, limited maintenance, and years of fuel trouble. The nationwide outage earlier this month left the country in darkness while Washington continued applying its restrictions.

Zheng also used his UN remarks to present China as a partner for developing countries and argue that smaller nations should have an equal place in international decisions.

“China holds that all countries, big or small, are equal members of the international community, and that world affairs should be handled by all through consultation,” Zheng said.

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