China advises nationals in Iran to consider Armenia as evacuation route
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China has begun evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran and was pushing for a ceasefire, Reuters reported.
China's foreign ministry said embassies and consulates have been offering assistance to those seeking to evacuate since the outbreak of fighting.
The Chinese embassy in Iran issued an evacuation notice listing border points for people to enter Turkey, Armenia and Turkmenistan, according to Reuters.
Chinese authorities, meanwhile, were in communication with Iran, Israel and various parties to promote a ceasefire, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing on Tuesday.
"China calls on all relevant parties, especially those countries that have a special influence on Israel, to shoulder their due responsibilities, take immediate measures to cool down the tense situation and prevent the conflict from escalating and spreading," Guo said, without naming any countries, according to Reuters.
Chinese embassies in Israel and Iran have issued multiple advisories in recent days for Chinese citizens to step up safety precautions and closely follow developments.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Chinese embassy in Israel urged Chinese citizens to return to China or leave the country via land border crossings as soon as possible, warning that the security situation has worsened.
It said many had contacted the embassy asking about the resumption of airport operations and Hainan Airlines flights.
But Israeli airspace remained closed, and the Israeli government has extended a national state of emergency until June 30, the embassy explained.
The notice listed several land crossing points but recommended Chinese citizens leave via Jordan.
"At present, the Israeli-Iranian conflict continues to escalate, with civilian facilities damaged and civilian casualties increasing, making the security situation even more severe," the embassy warned in a notice on WeChat.
The Chinese embassy in Iran issued a similar evacuation notice on its official WeChat account later on Tuesday.
Iran's airspace is still closed, and there are risks that Iran's land border crossings will also be closed in the near future, the embassy said.
The notice listed border points for people to enter Turkey, Armenia and Turkmenistan, with travel distances from Tehran ranging from 760 to 910 km (472 to 565 miles).
China has repeatedly urged Israel and Iran to put a stop to the escalation of the conflict and calm the situation.