China condemns suspected Israeli attack on Iranian embassy grounds

China has issued a strong condemnation of a suspected Israeli air attack on the grounds of the Iranian embassy in Damascus that claimed the lives of two Iranian generals.

"China condemns the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security of diplomatic institutions must not be violated, and the sovereignty and independence of Syria must be respected, he added.

China opposed all actions leading to increased tensions, Wang said.

China maintains close ties with Iran, importing large quantities of oil from the country, which remains under sanction by Western countries. It also maintains ties with Syria, inviting Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad to the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year.