Overview

• At the China–Central Asia Summit, Xi Jinping condemned actions that infringe on sovereignty and urged an immediate halt to Israeli and Iranian strikes.
• Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian pressed the U.S. to use its influence over Israel to uphold UN charter principles and avoid widening the conflict.
• The Chinese embassy in Tehran ordered all Chinese citizens to leave Iran immediately, identifying crossings with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan as priority evacuation routes.
• President Trump intensified pressure on Tehran by demanding its “unconditional surrender” over nuclear issues and warning Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that he is an “easy target.”
• The Pentagon has reinforced its Middle East presence by deploying the USS Nimitz to join the USS Carl Vinson and sending more than two dozen Air Force tankers eastward.