rki.news
Sources: Anadolu Agency

China strongly denounced attacks targeting children in conflict zones during a UN Security Council session chaired by US First Lady Melania Trump in New York, as regional tensions intensify across the Middle East.

The meeting, titled “Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict,” marked the first time a US first lady presided over the Council. It came days after reported US-Israeli airstrikes in Iran’s southern city of Minab, which Tehran said killed dozens of students amid broader military escalation.

China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong said Beijing “strongly condemns” all acts targeting children and urged all parties to conflicts to comply with international humanitarian law. He stressed that attacks on schools are among the six gravest violations against children recognized by the United Nations and must be firmly opposed.

While not directly referencing the strikes on Iran, Fu called for accountability for those responsible for harming children or damaging educational facilities. He also urged the international community to work collectively to ease the educational hardships faced by children in conflict-affected areas.

Referring to Gaza, Fu said the conflict has cast a shadow over an entire generation of Palestinian children and called for full compliance with ceasefire arrangements, expanded humanitarian access, and an end to civilian suffering.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani criticized Washington for convening the session while conducting military operations against Iran, calling the move inconsistent.

Regional tensions have escalated following the launch of the US-Israeli campaign and Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes, which disrupted air and maritime routes and prompted renewed international calls for de-escalation.