The ongoing war in Iran "should never have happened", Zhai Jun, China's special envoy on the Middle East issue, said on Monday, urging relevant parties to immediately halt military operations in the region while calling on the international community to uphold its commitment to peace through diplomatic means.

Speaking at a news briefing in Beijing after recently completing a round of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East, Zhai said the war, which is now in its fourth week with casualties exceeding 21,000, has already surpassed last year's 12-day conflict in terms of scale, intensity and duration.

From early March, Zhai visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Egypt and met with their respective foreign ministers. He also met with the secretary-generals of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League, and held a phone conversation with Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Zhai described his trip as "highly unusual" because of the current situation. "Airspace closures in some of the countries we visited led to flight cancellations, forcing us to travel by car. Along the way, we heard air raid sirens and witnessed missile interceptions, which made the tremendous impact of the war on countries even more real to us," he said.

Since the conflict started, China has carried out intensive mediation efforts. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held phone calls with his counterparts in countries including Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the United Kingdom.

On Monday, Wang also met in Beijing with Jonathan Powell, national security adviser to the UK prime minister. What all parties need to do now is address the root cause of the crisis and work together to achieve a political settlement through dialogue and negotiations, Wang said.

Zhai, the special envoy, said that as long as the conflict continues, China's diplomatic mediation efforts will not stop. China considers halting military operations in the region an immediate priority to prevent the situation from escalating further, he said.

Dialogue and negotiations offer a fundamental solution to the current crisis, he said, emphasizing the need to adhere to international law and the basic norms that govern international relations.

Zhai said the countries he visited stressed that nonmilitary locations, particularly energy, economic and livelihood facilities, should not be targeted and that the safety of civilians must be safeguarded.

His remarks came as global concerns mounted that the conflict was escalating beyond conventional military targets to critical infrastructure, including energy facilities and desalination systems.

"As the flames of the war continue to rage across the Middle East, the global economy and trade are coming under severe strain. Once Pandora's box is opened, the harm will be endless. If the fighting continues, there will be no winners, and ultimately, it will be the people of the region who will suffer the most," he said.

Zhai reiterated China's position that the protection of civilians is a red line that must not be crossed, and that the security of international shipping lanes, including the Strait of Hormuz, must be upheld.

When asked about the biggest obstacle to achieving a ceasefire, Zhai said, "The one who tied the bell should be the one to untie it."

He said the parties involved in the conflict, especially the United States and Israel, should immediately cease military action and return to the right track of dialogue, negotiation and respect for international law.

"The Chinese people consider peace as the most precious thing," he said. "The cornerstone of China's Middle East policy is to promote reconciliation and peace in the region."

"As a responsible major country and a sincere friend of regional countries, China will maintain close communication and coordination with all relevant parties. China will work to ease tensions, pave the way for a ceasefire, build bridges for dialogue, and make unremitting efforts to promote regional peace and stability," Zhai said.