Iran claims Pelosi's Taiwan visit creating tensions, says US meddling in China's affairs

As US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan much to the dismay of China, Iran on Tuesday condemned Washington's meddling in Beijing's "internal" affairs.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani said the recent “tension-creating behavior” of the US officials in interfering in China’s internal affairs and violating its territorial integrity was an example of Washington's interventionist policies in different parts of the world.

"This behaviour will have no outcome except the increasing of instability and the stirring of hostilities, and it is therefore condemned,” he said, as per Press TV.

Kan’ani added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers respect for the territorial integrity of countries to be among the principles of its foreign policy, and support for the One-China policy is unquestionable in line with this tenet.”

The Iranian official further stated that the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and the imposition of sanctions against Iran were "clear indications of Washington’s lack of commitment to its foreign obligations."

Notably, on Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi had an hour-long phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during which he reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s support for the 'One China' policy.

China welcomes Iran's condemnation of Pelosi's visit

Iranian spokesperson Kan’ani’s remarks came as US Speaker Pelosi landed in Taipei, amid simmering tensions with China, which claims control over the self-governed island. Beijing has warned of “targeted military actions” in response to her visit.

Welcoming Iran's statement, China praised the nation's condemnation of America's "provocative actions and its interference in internal affairs."

Nancy Pelosi, who is second in line to the Oval Office after the US vice-president, is in Taiwan as part of a Congressional delegation's tour of the Indo-Pacific region in the face of the Chinese threat. Minutes after her aircraft landed in Taipei, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) announced that it would hold six live-fire military drills in waters around Taiwan, from Thursday to Sunday.

Earlier, media reports claimed that several Chinese planes and warships had flown and sailed close to the median line dividing the Taiwan Strait ahead of Pelosi's visit. In retaliation, the US military also deployed four warships, including an aircraft carrier, near Taiwan, reports said.