BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned on Thursday of “immeasurably serious consequences” if nuclear facilities are targeted in the Middle East, amid ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.
Speaking during a meeting in Beijing with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Wang said the conflict was rapidly intensifying and posed grave risks.
“The fighting in the Middle East is spreading and expanding, with its impact spilling over at an accelerated pace,” Wang said, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
“In particular, if nuclear facilities are targeted, there will be immeasurably serious consequences, and the people of the region will be plunged into a dire situation,” he added, urging an immediate ceasefire and a return to dialogue.
Chinese FM Wang Yi met with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in Beijing.
The world today is in turmoil, and certain countries are trampling on rules with power and replacing cooperation with bullying. There is a real danger… pic.twitter.com/dczTRJNzVh
— Lin Jian 林剑 (@SpoxCHN_LinJian) March 26, 2026
IAEA chief highlights diplomatic efforts
Grossi’s visit to China comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts, with the UN nuclear watchdog chief saying US-Iran nuclear talks could take place in Pakistan in the coming days.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that indirect talks between the US and Iran are ongoing through messages relayed by Islamabad.
“US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan,” Dar said in a post on X, adding that Washington had shared a 15-point proposal now under consideration by Tehran.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to promoting peace and continues to make every effort to ensure stability in the region and beyond,” Dar said. “Dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward,” he said.
There has been unnecessary speculation in the media regarding peace talks to end ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In reality, US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being…
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) March 26, 2026
The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on February 28, triggering retaliatory drone and missile strikes by Tehran across the region.
Russia warns of nuclear disaster
Meanwhile, Russia criticised recent strikes near Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, accusing Washington and Israel of attempting to provoke a nuclear catastrophe.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it was “deeply outraged” by what it described as a “reckless and irresponsible” strike carried out on March 24 in the immediate vicinity of the plant’s operating unit.
“It gives the impression that the aggressors are deliberately seeking to trigger a large-scale nuclear catastrophe,” the ministry said in a statement.
Moscow warned that any direct strike on the facility would lead to “irreversible humanitarian and environmental consequences”.
Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom said it had evacuated 163 specialists from the Bushehr plant, with further evacuations planned in early April.
Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev said the evacuated personnel were en route to the Iranian-Armenian border, while some staff would remain to maintain operations.
The agency had already withdrawn around 150 workers earlier in the conflict.
Bushehr, Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant, was built with Russian assistance and began operations in 2011.
Iran’s atomic energy organisation said a projectile had landed within the plant’s compound earlier this week but caused no damage, accusing the United States and Israel of targeting the facility.
‘Maximum restraint’
The International Atomic Energy Agency has called for “maximum restraint” to avoid nuclear safety risks.
China also stressed that only an immediate cessation of hostilities and renewed negotiations could address the root causes of the conflict.
“Only by immediately ceasing hostilities and resuming dialogue and negotiations can the root causes of the conflict be truly eliminated,” Wang said.
