China : No one wants war after the oil tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman

'We hope that all parties concerned will be able to resolve their differences and the conflict properly through dialogue and consultations,' said a spokesman for the Ministry of foreign affairs.

Beijing:

No one wants war in the Gulf of Oman, said Friday the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, calling on all parties to show restraint after the attacks against oil tankers in these waters, and calling for dialogue to resolve disputes.

The United States accused Iran of being behind Thursday's attacks, which led to rising oil prices and concern over a new US-Iranian confrontation, although Tehran has denied these accusations.

China is deeply concerned about the rising tension, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

"No one wants to see war in the Gulf. It is not in anyone's interest, " he said in a regular press briefing in Beijing, adding that China hoped that all parties could resolve their differences through dialogue.

"We hope that all parties concerned will remain calm, exercise restraint and avoid a further escalation of tension, and we hope that all parties can jointly guarantee the safety of navigation in the relevant waters and peace and stability in the region."

China will continue to protect its energy security and the legal rights of its companies, he added.

Earlier, Minister Xi Jinping had told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, on the sidelines of a summit in Kyrgyzstan, that China would promote the development of close relations with Iran, regardless of international developments.

"China has always considered China-Iran relations from a strategic and long-term point of view", paraphrased Xi, confided the minister, who however specified that tension reigned in the Gulf region.

China and Iran have close energy ties, and Beijing has been irritated by US threats against countries and companies that violate US-imposed sanctions by importing Iranian oil.

China has had to be firm, because it also has relations with Iran's regional rival, Saudi Arabia, which is also the main supplier of oil to the Asian giant.

It was not immediately known what had happened to the oil tankers, the Norwegian Front Altair and the Japanese Kokuka Courageous, who had both suffered explosions, forcing the crews to abandon the ships, leaving them adrift in the waters between the Gulf States and Iran.

On Thursday night, US central Command spokesman Bill Urban released a video of what the US Army called "Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol" approaching Kokuka Courageous " and was observed removing an unexploded mine from Kokuka Courageous's sloth. . "

Iran has "categorically" rejected American claims about the oil tankers under attack.

The tension between Iran and the United States has increased since US President Donald Trump withdrew from an agreement last year between Iran and the world powers aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for a lightening of sanctions.

Washington also accused Iran or its proxies of launching an attack on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on 12 May, as well as drone strikes on two Saudi oil pumping stations on 14 May.